Paragon
by Atoms and Elements
Summary: It was all the same, and yet it wasn't in so many ways. Because he has him, instead of nothing, like he's always had. The beginning is always the most important part of the story, and this time things are changing in unimaginable ways. ItaNaru. AU/OOC.
1. Prologue I

_**A/N:**_** I haven't really been writing many stories here lately—mainly just one-shots and the like, so I decided that a new story would be…apt, at the moment. If this makes any sense. Whatever. I really don't have much of an idea where I'm going with this, so I hope you stick around long enough for me to find out. And I hope you don't mind too much, but I really wanted to write a fic where Itachi was back to his 'old' self. You know, back when we were all pretty much convinced he was a sick psychopath bent on making Sasuke's life just pure hell (and don't you lie, we all somewhat thought it)? I wanted that…back, at least for this fanfiction. It's crucial. You'll see.**

/...\

_Prologue_

**Third Person POV:**

So…alone.

And that was how the story started.

From the very first moment, it was pure…

—"_I'm sorry, Naruto-chan, but…some things are best explained later on in life."_—

Isolation? Could that be the best word used to describe this scenario? Though…

Even…if there _were_ other words…he…

How could he care?

Feelings of happiness were…fleeting, at best.

Nonexistent, at usual.

Torn away, at worst.

—"_It'll be alright someday; don't you worry."_—

Oh, there was Hokage-jiji, the kind, respected, old man who gave him money and spoke with him sometimes. The man who _cared_ about his existence, and acknowledged it whenever he could. But—

_(I'm sorry, jiji, but you're not enough.)_

There were days of dewy sunshine and breezy airs. There were days of frigid legs and white grounds, piled high with an unknown substance.

But for the boy…they…

They passed, and soon the cycle—the balanced cycle, with days of flower petals and butterflies, to days of darkening evenings and falling coloured leaves—would repeat itself. Soon, the insects would die, and the roses and lilacs would wither. Soon, the moon would wax and wane, and the humid days would cool out.

And he…he would watch it all. Day after day. Night after night.

—"_How are you feeling, Naruto-chan? Tomoyo-san from the orphanage said you weren't getting along with the other children."_—

_(How long has it been…since I…stepped foot into that place?)_

_(Jiji, shouldn't you know? Because I…)_

Such a boy made of hummingbird wings and false cheer. _But I try…I try so hard…_

Days fizzled into weeks, which fizzled into months. Ending in years.

Such a sweet boy, so easily hurt, so easily broken.

Months upon months…dead ends following dead ends.

_I guess there's no need to…_

_I mean…is it even worth…_

Darkness after darkness, but there was no light. No beacon. No star-shine.

Just darkness.

_There will always be darkness._

And ironically, when the…when the days began to grow foggier…and the animals awaited the arrival of winter…when his light finally _did_ come…

It came in the form of darkness.

"Hello! It's nice to meet you! My name is Uzumaki Naruto!"

_Such a fragile boy…trying so hard…_

"…I'm Uchiha Itachi."

_Trying so hard…_

\.../

_**A/N:**_** Hey again. I hope you liked the first part of the prologue! The next part will come soon, and it'll be a lot longer, since it'll depict Naruto's years with Itachi. Right now, he's extremely young, maybe four or five. Seeing as how Itachi doesn't massacre his clan and defect until Sasuke's about seven, they have a few years before anything happens. You'll see what little, tiny things I have planned out for the future.**

**-Atom-**


	2. Prologue II

_**A/N:**_** Crucial deals that you need to know are in the bottom AN. I'd advise you read them. Carry on, my wayward son… (What the fuck was that for? I don't even know)…**

/...\

_Prologue II_

**Third Person POV:**

Their first meeting was an unexpected one.

As was their second, third, and fourth meeting. All unplanned, all without meaning.

Uzumaki Naruto…and…Uchiha Itachi. Two names that should not have crossed—or been put together—in any distant reality. Two beings fated to not meet for many years, and never in any kind of _good_ way.

And yet…

"You're pretty good at this sheenobee stuff, 'Tachi-san!"

"…Hn."

Acceptance?

The _boy_—the one made of false cheer and an unmatched kindness—hadn't expected such…

_(Am I such a masochist?)_

_(Just looking for rejection?)_

Because, of course, Uchiha Itachi was everything Naruto was not.

A paragon. A shinobi with raw talent and ninja prowess unlike any other—a genius in any right. In every right. He was the epitome of what a Konoha shinobi should be…had lived during the Third Great Shinobi War…had been alive during the Kyūbi attack…

And for whatever reason…this fine ninja did not…

_(Those faces are stained with hatred and malice…for reasons I don't know yet.)_

At times, it was difficult for Naruto to accept. Would this unexplained acceptance—neither kindness nor benevolence—be ephemeral? Was it?

"Ne, ne, 'Tachi-san, would you teach me some cool sheenobee tricks?"

"…For starters, you're holding the kunai wrong."

"…Ha! You're right, 'Tachi-san! You _are_ the best ninja ever!"

Such innocent, carefree (but how could he be so naïve…with all he'd been through?) cerulean eyes, which could sparkle like the crystal ocean. Eyes that told only of admiration and happiness.

No jealousy.

No hatred.

No greed.

No lust for power.

And an ordinary person would've only seen the brightness the Uzumaki boy naturally exuded—would've only seen the joy this boy encompassed in his very being.

Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately), Uchiha Itachi was not an ordinary person.

Behind those sweet, sweet blue eyes lay—

_("WHY CAN'T I BE LOVED?")_

_("WHAT DID I DO TO YOU?")_

_("P-please…I have…absolutely…absolutely nothing…")_

_("No…nothing in me. Nothing to live for…")_

Aching blue eyes that were screeching for friendship—or possibly just tolerance or _acknowledgement_—, but…they could not be…

"'Tachi-san, do you have any family?"

"Yes, Naruto-kun. I'm part of the Uchiha clan—I have quite an extensive family."

"Yeah, yeah, but like, _real_ family?"

"…Real family, Naruto-kun? What's the difference?"

"I mean family you like! You can't like everyone, right, right? I mean, family's great and I wish I had a family, but you can't like _all_ of them! …Do you, 'Tachi-san?"

_This boy…_

_So young and so alone…_

_And yet…he still understands…_

"…Hn. I suppose my mother, my cousin, and my brother."

"You have a _brother?_ Whoa, what's he like?"

"He's…

_(Black eyes that held admiration, yet unquenchable thirst for power and undeniable envy.)_

_("Itachi-nii, I thought you were gonna teach me how to throw shuriken today!")_

"…Not what I expected."

They were the most unlikely of pairs; and when Naruto could no longer stand the _glares_ and the _stares_, and when Itachi felt himself begin to snap under the strain of his duties and under the pressure of the expectations put on him, they'd seek each other out.

When Naruto heard the words being murmured around him_ ("Demon. Monster. Terror.")_, and felt like he was going to burst from the pain of the _confusion_ and _resentment_, he'd hold Itachi's hand tightly.

When Itachi awoke to another day of unjust standards _("You need to be more, Itachi. You are part of the Uchiha clan.")_, and felt his sanity slowly slipping, he'd drag Naruto to the nearest training ground to play for hours.

_The Great Uchiha Itachi? Playing with the Ky__ū__bi-kid?_

_Preposterous._

_(I don't even care if they know.)_

Had he thought…that when they first met…

In the abandoned **Training Ground 28**…that the other would end up being…

_(so very dear to me?)_

And if the Hokage knew, he didn't let a word slip, for how could he object to this bond between two boys he'd thought beyond hope? Itachi, with his self-imposed isolation, and Naruto with the hatred imposed on _him_.

"Jiji! Jiji! Did you hear I got a friend? A _real_ friend?"

_No more imaginary ones…that I've been living with all this time…_

"No, Naruto-chan. I heard no such thing, but of course I'm happy for you…now tell me who this new friend of yours is…"

"It's Uchiha 'Tachi, jiji! The best ninja ever! You better watch your job, jiji, 'cause I swear he's better than _you_ even!"

A chuckle. "Wouldn't that be something, Naruto-chan…?"

_Although…_

_(Is Naruto-chan enough, Itachi-kun? Enough to keep you stable?)_

Of course not.

He was a ray of sunshine and perhaps a refreshing, cold treat on a hot summer's day (albeit a never-ending one during an eternal heat-wave…although perhaps that was an unusual metaphor), but how could one Uzumaki Naruto hope to combat against the entire Uchiha clan?

_("Itachi, you have your duties. Squandering them to spend time with_ **that** _boy is unacceptable.")_

_("Stay away from him, Itachi! I mean it! Listen to your mother.")_

_("Tainting the name of Uchiha…you were supposed to be our pride and joy!")_

_("Disgusting.")_

_("You're not enough, son of mine. I'm disappointed.")_

Could it be that even perfection could break? Because it…

The Sandaime saw it all—saw the sanity of the Uchiha clan heir crumbling, saw the frustration and _loathing_ behind the spinning crimson eyes that _no one else_ could see through (except perhaps the ever-surprising Naruto), saw the…beginnings of bloodlust.

He took it upon himself to act when whisperings of the Uchiha's coming coup d'état reached him.

—"_Uchiha Itachi, I have a mission of the utmost importance for you…"_—

Sarutobi Hiruzen could be called many things. The God of Shinobi. The Professor. The Legendary Sandaime of Konohagakure no Sato. And he was known by these names for a reason.

In him, nature had cut out one of the most accomplished ninja in existence. A fair, respected leader, yet a cold, lethal, dangerous warrior.

Though as cold-hearted as said shinobi could be, he couldn't deny that a tiny shiver ran up his spine when nothing more than pure satisfaction gleamed from those horrible red irises at the description of the mission.

"As you wish, Hokage-sama." And then he was gone.

Frightening, terrifying, bloody gazes.

A near-perfect Bloodline Limit, although one that probably should've been eradicated generations before the arrival of the genius Itachi.

He was used to hearing…

—"_M-monster…!"_—

Because his **eyes** belonged to a demon or the devil.

With the power to control the fiercest of the _youkai_ and to do a number of impossible (but horrible and oh-so dreadful) tricks.

And because of the **rumours** _("Did you hear? It's said that the Sharingan was a gift of a demon that mated with an Uchiha back in the days of the Rikudō Sennin!")_, the Uchiha were known and feared far and wide.

Feared…

Despised…

Abhorred…

Because of filthy, violent, bloody gazes.

And yet, for a pint-sized blonde maelstrom boy—

"Wow, 'Tachi-san! I didn't know you had such pretty eyes! Do they change colours or something?"

"…This is my Sharingan, Naruto-kun."

"What's that? The Shareengahn?"

"It's an Uchiha Bloodline Limit. A dojutsu."

"That sounds so cool, 'Tachi-san! You're so lucky! The Shareengahn sure is nice…"

"It is a feared ocular power, Naruto-kun."

"Nothing scary about it though, 'Tachi-san. I think your eyes are lovely!"

_(You…you are so…)_

_(…When did you become the most important to me?)_

And as they came to realize through trial and error, they were both each other's most precious person. The one person who could not—and would not—be replaced.

_(And…I could never kill you, Naruto-kun. Not even for_ **that**_.)_

But Itachi wasn't a genius for nothing. Uchiha Itachi was considered a demigod among mortals (or did that seem a bit too much?) and when he wanted something…

Desperately _strived_ for something…

**[A sinister chuckle]**

He…

—"_NO! MAMOKO! GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF! IT'S A GENJUTSU!"_—

_("Did you hear? Uchiha Mamoko killed her sister Uchiha Sara, and then committed suicide! They found the bodies in Training Ground 28!")_

_("I thought that training ground had been abandoned? Wasn't there some silly superstition about bad luck?")_

_("Suppose so, huh? On a side note, apparently Uchiha Itachi was sent on a week-long mission…damn, I'm gonna miss him.")_

_("I know…so dreamy…")_

The legend of Hatake Kakashi had not been forgotten after all…

_Uchiha Obito had been his uncle anyway._

And for a week, the…

The maelstrom boy locked himself in his apartment and refused to come out, no matter what.

Because…after all…

_(I have no hand to hold…and the voices…they…)_

He was…so alone.

Just like at the start of the story.

Hardly breathing and cold to the touch. A boy with golden hair that'd lost its sheen and big blue eyes that just seemed empty.

But as Monday turned to Sunday, and the clouds parted in the sky…

"'Tachi-san, you're back! I missed you so, so much!"

"…I as well, Naruto-kun."

"Yeah, I was pretty sad and—whoa, did your eyes change, 'Tachi-san?"

"…Is it really so noticeable?"

"No, no. It's got a weird starry pattern-thing now though."

"Ah, so my Mangekyo Sharingan is still on."

"Mangekō Shareengahn? What's that, 'Tachi-san?"

"All in due time, Naruto-kun. But you mustn't mention this to anyone, do you understand?"

"Of course, of course! Whatever 'Tachi-san wants!"

_Whatever Itachi wants…_

**[A smirk]**

_(But of course.)_

_(Whatever the prodigy wants.)_

_(Though…Naruto-kun has only ever seen Itachi. Nothing else.)_

What an innocent, beautiful, little flaxen-haired boy. So full of true cheer and devotion for his oh-so special 'Tachi-san.

What an unfortunate, talented, little onyx-eyed boy. An adult trapped in a child's body, a killer of countless men by the tender age of thirteen.

And they both treasured each other above all else.

The snow against the ground began to melt.

The first robin of the new season sang melodically from a tree.

And…in the midst…

**[Blood red eyes snap open]**

—"…_Ruka-chan? Do you see something outside?"_—

—"_Hai, kaa-san. I…I think it's Ita—"_—

—"_RUKA-CHAN!"_—

The night a tangled web of lies was first woven.

The night the Uchiha Compound was splattered with the thick, rich life essence of its inhabitants.

The night of echoless cries and tear-filled eyes.

—"_Foolish little brother, if you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me. And yet survive in an unsightly way. Run, run and cling to life, and when you have the same eyes as mine, come to me."_—

—"_ITACHI!"_—

Uchiha Sasuke and Uchiha Itachi.

The two survivors of the Uchiha massacre.

One bound by hate and corrupted beyond his years.

One free of a burden though bound to yet another one.

**[An emotionless face]**

"Naruto-kun?"

"'Tachi-san? Why are you in your ANBU clothes? Did something happen?"

Simple, simple words.

And a simple yet utterly complex little boy. A boy who'd been born in the fires of sacrifice and bathed in animosity, but survived off optimism and goodwill.

Two utterly incompatible beings.

The bane of Konoha.

The Uchiha paradigm of success and achievement.

Two beings that should've never met so early on (or possible ever at all except in brief clips)…and…yet…

_(Don't you worry; I will be back.)_

"Naruto-kun, I have a mission for you."

"But, 'Tachi-san, I just started at the Academy!"

"Regardless of that, come and listen to me, Naruto…"

_Do you remember the waning and waxing moon?_

_(We are all that we have.)_

_Do you remember the times before? …When you were made of hummingbird wings and false cheer?_

_(What are you made of now, Naruto-kun?)_

How could…all this…

Because bonds are bonds, notwithstanding who they are made with. And…how can you choose your bonds wisely when you've never made a single one before?

**[The blonde one smiles with tears in his eyes]**

"I…I don't want you to go, 'Tachi-san…there's no one else…" A choked sob.

"One day I'll return, Naruto-kun. And I will never break my word to you."

**[A forehead kiss]**

_(Do you remember the days before him?)_

_I am made of…star-shine and darkness…_

_I am made of you._

\.../

_**A/N:**_** Hey there. Me again. Couple things I want to clear up. For one, as you can see, this Itachi is more of a mix between canon-Itachi (having the mission and lying to Sasuke and all) and believed-Itachi (the one who we believed really did massacre his clan, just because). That's a very important fact. This Itachi isn't going to be like canon-Itachi, but nor will he be the psychotic one we originally thought. Another thing, I'm not trying to downplay Sasuke and Itachi's relationship. Sasuke was still very dear to him, but Naruto is the most important thing to him, even if Sasuke comes in a close second, and this is purely because Sasuke still has Uchiha blood in him. He's still going to act like the Uchihas Itachi detests. Their bond is still strong though, hence Itachi lying to him.**

**As for how he got the Mangekyo…well, it seems pretty damn believable to me. Just go with it. If you didn't get it, he caught Uchiha Mamoko (just a spontaneous OC) in a genjutsu and had her murder his sister, gaining the Mangekyo Sharingan. Itachi then took her eyes and killed her, making the whole incident look like he had nothing to do with it. His 'week-long mission' was him recovering from the eye transplant. If he did it himself or had a medic-nin do it for him is up to you. And does this mean Itachi has the eternal Mangekyo? Does he still intend for Sasuke to kill him?**

***Chuckles* I'll get to those questions later on. **

**I think that's all? Review if you have any questions!**

**-Atom-**


	3. Chapter One

_**A/N:**_** If it isn't obvious, my new favourite word is paragon. Also, if you've noticed, I've given Naruto a **_**slight**_** speech impediment. He repeats things twice, usually what he says at the beginning of his sentences. It's sort of like Deidara's 'un's though, as he doesn't have the speech impediment all the time. Let's move on…**

/...\

_Chapter One_

**Third Person POV:**

In the beginning, there had been a balanced cycle. A cycle of blossoming sakura trees to brittle, dead leaves.

A never-ending cycle without bias or favouritism.

And even as life grew turbulent and unrecognizable, the cycle did not pause. Did not waver.

In the simplest of ways, this was the best and worst thing for Naruto. The little boy who…

—"_He'll be back one day, Naruto-chan. Just remain patient."_—

How could jiji expect him to…

_(How can I survive without _**him**_?)_

There was still summer. There was still autumn. There was still winter. There was still spring. The birds still sang from the trees in the early morning and the children still grew into worthy—or not-so worthy—adolescents. There was still water. There was still fire. There was still earth. There was still air. There was still electricity.

Everything was the same and yet everything was not.

_("Do you see that demon-brat? I honestly don't know why the Sandaime allows him in the Academy. He's probably just biding his time until—")_

_("Haruta, hold your tongue! Hokage-sama's law!")_

So…alone.

_(But…once I was so ignorant…)_

_(Once I was…alone…but I did not feel so…)_

Lost, depleted, abandoned, reviled—

_("STAY AWAY FROM MY CHILDREN, FREAK!")_

And the cycle was eternal…just turning and turning and turning…until the seasons lost their names and Naruto just no longer _cared_.

_I am made of…star-shine and darkness._

_There will always be darkness._

**·**

**·**

**·**

"Hello!" Little Uzumaki Naruto called out enthusiastically, "Can I have some…—what's it called?—miso ramen?"

_(Ichiraku, hm? Seems…)_

It was definitely a friendly little establishment.

"Sure thing," piped up a squeaky voice, "Dad! One bowl of miso ramen!" Naruto blinked once (he'd only just realized he'd shouted his order at no one in particular) and peered over the counter.

A mousy brown-haired girl stood there with a bandana wrapped around her head. She blinked big brown eyes right back up at him before smiling toothily.

"Hey! Welcome to Ichiraku! My name is Ayame and I'll be your waitress!"

**[A sceptical look]**

"You look a bit young to be a waitress," The maelstrom boy commented, but his face soon blossomed into a grin much like hers, "You better impress me, Ayame!"

"Don't underestimate me! I'll be the best damn waitress you've ever had!"

_(Would it bother you to know…)_

_(That you're the first waitress who didn't kick me out upon sight?)_

_You've already impressed me._

The harvest moon would hang low in the sky before the Uzumaki boy left for home.

—"_There are people besides Itachi-kun, Naruto-chan…"_—

_(Maybe, jiji.)_

_But they're not enough. They're not—_

—"'_TACHI-SAN! 'TACHI-SAN, WATCH ME!"_—

Such a sad tale of a boy who was much too young to have to understand hatred and the callousness of others. How could the world expect this to ever turn out anything less than…

_(Jiji, why do I hear…murmurings and…these voices in my head…?)_

But he would say not a word.

The boy with the slowly dimming eyes and the tell-tale scarred cheeks. The boy with the thin frame and the all-too bright orange jumpsuit. The boy whose eyes would slowly…

"Naruto-chan, why are you looking at the village entrance?"

"No reason, jiji…it's just a…nice pair of doors."

_(Yeah. That's all.)_

"Alright then. In any case, don't you have to be at the Academy soon?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll go soon, jiji. I'm just…tired."

How could this…this boy…this boy filled with the rage and power belonging to the strongest of the bijuu…grow tired? It was such an impossibility that…

"Well, I better be going, jiji! Iruka-sensei will kill me if I'm late again!" And as he spoke, Naruto began to sprint off, his words carrying in the wind behind him. All that was left was a worry-ridden Hokage and a village that couldn't have possibly foreseen the outcomes of future situations.

**·**

**·**

**·**

"Inuzuka Kiba?"

"Yo!"

"Itoko Mei?"

"Present."

Naruto sat at his table at the far end of the classroom, his azure eyes drawn to the equally blue sky. The classroom was sticky and humid (for it was the nameless season of the constant bright sun and the smell of peaches), something that annoyed him to no end.

_(Where are those lovely, crimson eyes?)_

_(Where is my hand to hold?)_

"Uchiha Sasuke?"

**[Flinch]**

"Hn."

_(Oh. Yes; he is here after all, ne?)_

"Uzumaki Naruto?"

The maelstrom boy. The hated boy. The _demon_ boy. The very same boy who could smile so brightly and light up the room in one go. The very same boy who was unlike any other.

"Good morning, Iruka-sensei!"

The very same boy who had the capacity to set the village ablaze and watch it burn from the inside out.

Several heads turned his way. Would one of them be Uchiha Sasuke?

No. Of course not.

Because Uchiha Sasuke was a paragon. A child with raw power that just needed to be cultivated to perfection, but nonetheless he was the Konoha paradigm of fine breeding and will-be shinobi excellence. And paragons don't associate with anyone but other paragons.

**[The blonde boy's eyes narrow]**

_(No…you are no paragon.)_

_(You are barely even enough to keep me amused.)_

_(In fact, I wouldn't even care about you one bit if _**he**_ didn't…)_

—"_Naruto-kun, watch after my little brother. He will be useful and necessary to me one day, though I feel that he might do something…foolish in the years before he becomes valuable."_—

Uchiha Sasuke, the younger brother to the perpetrator of the Uchiha massacre. The younger brother to the most important person in Uzumaki Naruto's life. The younger brother with the same starless night eyes and the same skin the colour of a white water lily. And yet…

(YOU'RE NOT THE SAME.)

In all their similarities…

(YOU ARE A MOCKERY OF HIM.)

In all their differences…

(YOU ARE NOT 'TACHI-SAN.)

How could the sole remaining loyal Uchiha compete with a _real_ paragon?

—"_Don't compare him to me, Naruto-kun. We may be brothers, but Sasuke is still weak. Do not fall to the same ideologies that the rest of the village believes."_—

Inwardly, Naruto grimaced. One of the only things 'Tachi-san had requested of him, and yet he'd already gone against his precious person's words. It was just so…just so…

_(I'm trying so hard…so don't…)_

_(Don't expect me to be another paragon.)_

The class had been started, and although Naruto diligently paid attention to Iruka-sensei's words, half of him was also intently watching the littlest Uchiha. However, it only managed to disappoint him when young Sasuke did nothing more than broodingly pay attention to the lecture as well.

It was just so…so…_dull_.

Where was the fire that used to burn inside him? Where was the excitement? The wonder? Was it all so empty now that **he** was gone?

But of course these things would be so…

Riding his mind of such thoughts, Naruto shook his head. He had plenty of things to do in the short time before his reunion with Itachi, and lagging behind on those important obligations would only serve to come back and bite him on the ass later on.

Even as..._basic_ as these basics were (rudimentary skills that every ninja had to know), Itachi had long ago taught Naruto that theory was the most important part of _anything_. The theory behind jutsu creation. The theory behind elemental manipulation.

For if the theory was known, then all that was left was the...execution.

So, he would suffer through these tedious lessons, if not for the sole reason of becoming strong enough to protect Sasuke.

The boy beside him gave a light snore, causing Naruto to smile lightly. Another boy made of dreams and desperations? Or perhaps just another student in another class in another village? There was a fine line between the two, one that the Uzumaki boy...

_(I'm caught between the past and the future, and the present is just...)_

—"_We are all creatures of habit, Naruto-kun. Remove one variable from that equation and everything else will cease to add up."_—

_(I am, after all, only a creature of habit.)_

The creature in the seat next to him was something he couldn't quite make out yet—but then again, he'd barely even _glanced_ at the fellow—, with spiky hair tied back in a ponytail and a light trail of drool making its way down his chin. Nothing special, but perhaps that was what made him special.

How fascinating...to see something so mundane as a child falling asleep during a lecture. It was...silly, and stupid, and irksome, and ridiculous.

It made Naruto want to kick him awake.

"Are you done staring at me?" asked a rather irritated and somewhat sleepy voice. Dark eyes cracked open to gaze up into Naruto's eyes. Naruto blinked once before grinning with such force that it caused his eyes to shut.

"Yeah, yeah, forgive me," He laughed, "I didn't realize you were awake. You looked like you were having a good dream!" The pineapple-headed boy (for that was what his hair and head seemed to resemble) regarded him for a moment before sighing and closing his eyes again.

"It's rude to stare," He murmured before seemingly dozing off again.

Naruto's eye developed a twitch while he maintained his ever-present grin, though it'd reduced greatly.

_Such...blatant...disinterest..._

_(What is he even doing here?)_

He suddenly noticed the clan symbols on the sleeping boy's jacket sleeves.

_(Oh. A Nara clan member.)_

Naruto's smile once again widened, this time his eyes glimmering with amusement. Indeed, this boy sitting beside him could only be the youngest Nara and current clan heir, Nara Shikamaru. Of course, looking around the class now, it was apparent that there were _many_ clan heirs currently in the Academy.

A Hyūga. A Yamanaka. An Akimichi. An Aburame.

An **Uchiha**.

How famous his class must've been, with so many important Konoha children.

**[He chuckles]**

And then there was him.

**[He sighs and frowns]**

_(It is entertaining, no doubt, to be here and see these things, but I still...)_

—"'_Tachi-san! Did you know I'm starting the Academy next week? Soon I'll be a sheenobee as good as you!"_—

_(Why do I feel so worthless now?)_

So he would take his notes and discreetly watch Sasuke and hope Shikamaru had nice dreams all before the bell, when he would get up loudly and skip to the back of the room to grab his lunchbox. They _were_ still children after all, even if they were children studying and training to become killers.

They were all expected to eat lunch outside, so Naruto followed his classmates out the door and down the stairs. They were all talking amongst themselves, save a few shy ones, and as much as Naruto wanted to be one of them, he...

**[Another frown and a glance down]**

_How could he when hatred and prejudices still existed?_

Such a poignant story of a boy who was made up of star-shine and darkness, and couldn't care for seasons and had a strange fixation on hummingbirds.

From the shadows of the entrance to the Academy, Naruto watched as many of the other students settled in for lunch, forming circles and gathering their friends. Glancing own at his own lunchbox and hearing his stomach grumble and rumble quite loudly, the maelstrom boy's face darkened even more. He could try to befriend them...he could try to join them...but...

—"_Go away, Naruto-baka! My parents said I can't play with you!"_—

—"_Don't talk to me, Naruto. I'll get in trouble."_—

_(It's really futile to try.)_

Suddenly, from his vantage point, Naruto spotted a little short-haired girl sitting under a tree by her lonesome. With white pupil-less eyes and nearly-violet hair, it was clear who she was. So why...

_(Is it fun to be alone?)_

_(Because I...)_

—"_Of course you can make friends, Naruto-chan. All you have to do is try your best."_—

**[He smiles]**

_(Though...I would not be me if I didn't try with all my might.)_

On short, stubby legs, the cerulean-eyed maelstrom boy raced with his lunchbox to the seemingly sightless child—even if she was anything but—underneath the shade of the tree.

"Hey, my name's Uzumaki Naruto! Do you mind if I sit with you?"

"S-sure, N-N-Naruto-kun." A deep blush. "M-my name's H-Hyūga Hinat-ta."

**·**

**·**

**·**

"Hokage-sama, he's _his_ son, isn't he?"

"Hyūga-dono, I'm sure you're aware that _that_ particular secret is S-class?"

"With all due respect, I should've adopted him long ago, Hokage-sama. I have more right to that child than anyone else in the village. If I'd known..."

"You know I couldn't allow that, Hiashi-dono, not if he was to remain inconspicuous."

"Inconspicuous? He has the—"

"S-class secrets. Both of them."

"...Nevertheless, the Hyūga could've kept him much safer than any orphanage. With his parentage in mind, I'm still bewildered as to why I wasn't made aware."

"That's exactly why you weren't made aware. His father's team was rather infamous after all."

"...I suppose. Though that doesn't mean I'm still not furious."

"I'd expect nothing else, Hyūga-dono; and if it means anything, I apologize for this, but Naruto and his...unusual parentage..."

"Of course, Hokage-sama. But I hope you know that now that Naruto and Hinata have become close, I plan on taking full advantage of this."

"...You make my job so much more difficult, Hiashi."

**·**

**·**

**·**

After that day, it was hard to imagine a world in which Uzumaki Naruto and Hyūga Hinata were not the closest of friends. The concept would be...utterly ridiculous. The villagers would assume that the hated Uzumaki boy was manipulating the sweet, soft-hearted Hinata-sama. The shinobi of the village would assume that they'd been secret friends from before the Academy.

But, in any case, everyone would be astonished when the Hyūga clan opened their arms wide for the tiny maelstrom boy.

_Figuratively_.

The main family had accepted him without restrictions. The branch family had no qualms with him. Even the clan elders, though bitter with their memories of the Kyūbi's attack, had opened their arms to him. And no one...no ninja...no civilian...not even the Hokage...could understand _why_.

—"_Clan elders, I've gathered you here today to share some important news concerning the newfound...lineage of one Uzumaki Naruto..."_—

_Little did the rest of the village know._

**[The blonde boy smiles]**

_(It appears, that even while I still miss _**him**_, you were right, jiji.)_

"Naruto-kun, d-do you mind c-coming over tonight?" The young heiress asked one day out of the blue (not that it was an odd thing for the Uzumaki boy to be visiting the Hyūga estate), her face the colour of a cherry tomato. As Naruto stared at her, she twiddled her thumbs, seemingly nervous.

**[A grin]**

"Course, course, Hinata-chan!" He exclaimed, grinning widely and resting with his arms behind his head. The two of them now sat at the back of the classroom, along with the stoic Aburame clan heir, but he didn't talk much. It was the season of early nights and snowflakes, so sitting near the window would only serve to...

—"_Ne, ne, 'Tachi-san, can we go play in the snow now? You promised!"_—

Reliving old memories.

"Otou-sama said h-he wanted t-t-to talk to you..." The unnaturally shy girl murmured on, now looking ahead to the class. Naruto...his grin lessened, now a comfortable smile that was all too natural.

He remembered a time before, when all he knew was repulsion and hatred and nothing else. He remembered a time before Hinata and the Hyūga clan, when he felt...empty and dead to the world that no longer seemed to mean anything. He remembered a time before Itachi, when he was...so, so alone, and everything was bleak and nothing was worth it.

Before the seasons had names.

Before he was made of star-shine and darkness.

Before...

_(Feathers fall onto the waves of my hair.)_

_(These feathers are soft and a comfort.)_

_(Long ago I decided to stop believing, but it's starting to come back to me.)_

_Cold ringlets—the ones that frame my face—they...they are falling in a storm, and are burning me now._

"On another topic, I need a haircut, Hinata-chan," He sighed dramatically, pulling at the ends of his hair, which had lengthened significantly. It now fluttered lightly around his shoulders, and apparently the increased length had softened his usual wild spikes, as his hair was now vaguely wavy.

**[The dark-haired one smiles]**

"Are y-you sure, N-Naruto-kun? I-It's not t-that bad."

At this, Naruto chuckled and pushed a bunch of his somewhat curly hair behind his ear. It was true, but long hair wasn't something amazing for the whisker-cheeked boy. Long hair was...

"Short hair reminds me of my childhood! That's why I love it!" He laughed, ignoring the weird pains in his belly. They were...nothing to worry about, really. The Hyūga girl nodded once, seemingly in comprehension to his words. Before she could say another word though, Iruka-sensei entered the classroom, thereby starting the lesson.

Naruto had been..._disappointed_ to realize that his first year in the Academy would revolve around theory (**very** basic theory) and history only, as that meant that all his training would have to be done on his own time. At the very least, in the months before he'd defected from Konoha—for reasons only Naruto, the Sandaime, and the council _actually_ knew—, Itachi had taught Naruto a couple of Chakra control exercises.

**[He spaces out, not aware]**

**[The scarred teacher sees]**

"Naruto?" Iruka-sensei questioned, scowling slightly with his arms folded in front of his chest, "If you think you're so above the rest of the class, why don't you show off your _advanced knowledge_ by recounting us the infamous Bloodline Limit of the Shodaime?" A couple of kids snickered, figuring Naruto was completely and utterly screwed.

_(How amusing of you, Iruka-sensei...to make me explain something...I shouldn't even fully know yet.)_

_(So, Sandaime-jiji, why is it that even here...I feel so, so despised?)_

The students waited eagerly—some of them anyway—, excited for the impending humiliation of one Uzumaki Naruto. But...

—"_Naruto-kun, I want you to read all these books before you enter the Academy."_—

—"_But why, 'Tachi-san?"_—

—"_You'll be more prepared and able to focus on training instead of studying. Theory is important, but more so is practice."_—

**[The blonde boy sighs and looks up]**

"Well...um...the Shodaime—Senju Hashirama, the leader of the Senju clan—had a famous Bloodline Limit called the Mokuton. The Mokuton...um...is a combination of two elements—water and..." Naruto racked his brain for a moment before continuing, "And earth! That's why it's a Bloodline Limit, because no one else can use the Mokuton or copy the jutsu. Aside from the obvious uses of it, the Shodaime could use the Mokuton to control the nine legendary Bijū."

**[Silence]**

_("He's pretty smart, isn't he, Matsushimata-san? I thought he was...")_

_("He does look more the part of the class idiot, does he not? But he knows more than us!")_

_("Hmph! Sasuke-kun could've explained better!")_

It was a tragic tale, Naruto had to acknowledge. He was constantly just...underestimated and ignored. If it had not been for jiji...if it had not been for 'Tachi-san...if it had not been for Hinata-chan and the Hyūga clan...

His blue eyes darkened and all of his internal light—that could shine so brilliantly and brighten the room—retracted into him. Abruptly, the atmosphere felt tense and uncomfortable, and the cold outside seemed to seep in through the cracks of the building.

Iruka-sensei shifted. "That was...an acceptable explanation, I suppose. But what do you mean by, _'aside from the obvious uses of it'_?" Was he trying to...catch Naruto in something?

_(DO YOU SUPPOSE I'M CHEATING SOMEHOW?)_

Naruto rolled his eyes and murmured, "Well, well, it's a Bloodline element, right? So it can be manipulated just like any other element. It's got its own jutsu and things like that. It's no different than Suiton or Katon, except in what it does, but it's not a Bloodline Limit like the Sharingan or the Byakugan."

**[Deep silence]**

_("B-But, this boy can't be...")_

_("He's cheating. There's no way he's this smart.")_

"G-Good job, Naruto-kun," Hinata mumbled under her breath, and there was an ample amount of pride glimmering in her lavender-tinged eyes. So lovely was that expression...such acceptance and kindness...

The room—that tense, cold room—brightened considerably when the infamous Uzumaki boy laughed loudly and smiled from ear to ear.

"Ne, ne, Iruka-sensei, I didn't forget anything, did I? It's been so long since I read about him!" The tanned teacher could only shake his head blankly, simply staring at the flaxen-haired boy.

In the light or in the dark...this boy could...

**[He laughs again with sparkling blue eyes]**

Infectious joy and radiating elation.

_Could anyone know how empty this boy felt inside?_

_(I'm sorry, jiji, Hinata-chan, and...everyone else...but while you are enough, you're not...)_

—"_Come on, Naruto-kun. You said you wanted to play today."_—

—"_YAY! I get to play with 'Tachi-san!"_—

The class eventually went back to normal. Iruka-sensei regained control of himself—sending Naruto a withering look—, the other students stopped whispering, and the lesson recommenced. This time though, when Naruto began to space out, Iruka-sensei said not a word. Hinata continued to watch him from the corner of her eye, blushing every time his nose would scrunch up cutely in concentration. He didn't even realize it—the faces he made—even if the Hyūga girl did.

By the end of the day, Naruto had about had it with Iruka-sensei and the Academy. His fingers twitched in his anxiousness to _move_ and _train_ and he still border-lined on irritated from his earlier..._conversation_ with his lovely teacher (not to mention the fact that the man had acted like he didn't even exist afterwards). It was everything he...detested and it left Naruto wondering...

_(Where has my optimism gone?)_

_(My craving for attention?)_

_(My desire for acknowledgement from this enormous village?)_

—_everything left with Itachi_—

"N-Naruto-kun, if you w-want-t we can go cut your h-hair..." Hinata squeaked out as they both zipped up their jackets and tugged on their boots before stepping out of the Academy, "O-Or, if you d-de-decided to not, I could—"

"Yeah, yeah, Hinata-chan! I know the perfect place for a haircut; let's go!" Not bothering to wait for the purple-haired girl, Naruto sped off through the snow, his arms pumping at his sides. Hinata, not wanting to lose her knucklehead of a best friend, activated her Byakugan and also hurried after the blonde.

**[The Hyūga blushes as they receive stares]**

With Chakra-enhanced speed (and Hinata wondered how in the _world_ he could do that, as she could see the Chakra collecting and swirling around at the soles of his feet), the little maelstrom boy led them both further through town, dashing past villagers, houses, stands, and all sorts of miscellaneous stores. There seemed to be no discernable direction the Uzumaki boy was taking them in—ducking through alleyways, jumping over roofs, crawling under too tall fences, and so on and so forth.

After what seemed like an eternity of hopping and jumping and skipping and running, they arrived in front of a large, frozen-over lake. There was a light dusting of snow on the surface; wide and wide and wide...

"Come, come, Hinata-chan!" He coaxed in an amused voice at her perplexed expression, "It's really pretty if you see it up close!" Again, without waiting for a reply from the girl with the caring personality in contrast to her strict upbringing, the maelstrom boy slid down the hill they were standing upon, sliding down to the edge of the lake.

Unsure of quite how to move or how to coordinate herself, Hinata...

"HURRY UP, SLOWPOKE! WE'VE GOT PLACES TO BE SOON!"

...Fell.

**[Rolling and rolling down the steep hill]**

Blinking eyes open with a face full of snow, the heiress turned over to face the grinning Naruto. He did not laugh nor did he mock, but he still smiled in such a way that had little Hinata—little Hinata who would've been spluttering and blushing and tearing up in embarrassment—smiling along with him.

Because...

_I am made of star-shine and darkness._

_(And if I hide the dark enough, the shine seems to...)_

**[This boy exudes he love that we all desperately need]**

Yet, so ironically...

—"_Stay away from that Uzumaki boy, Mitsuni. He's nothing but trouble."_—

As Hinata carefully wiped the cold flakes off her body, she watched Naruto pick up a rather heavy rock from the side of the hill and waddle back over to the side of the lake. The peculiar boy stared at the icy surface for a heartbeat before unceremoniously dropping the large rock right over it.

_Crack. Splash._

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata gasped in a slightly higher-pitched tone (for the young Hyūga heiress would never bring herself to _truly_ yell). The rock sank deep into the lake, leaving only an average-sized hole.

"Don't worry!" The Uzumaki boy reassured her, kneeling near the edge of the lake, "We just need a little water to wet my hair. It won't be even otherwise when you cut it." Inhaling deeply, Naruto shoved his head under the water before the little heiress could protest.

_(Which she would've.)_

When the boy quickly re-emerged—with sopping wet hair and chattering teeth and paling skin—, Hinata flitted to his side and desperate tried to dry his face off with the sleeve of her jacket. A few drops of water fell onto her hand from his soaked hair and Hinata flinched, realizing how cold the water really was.

"Naruto-kun! You can't b-be s-s-so reckless!"

**[He resists the urge to snigger]**

_(This girl...who cares for me...)_

_(And thinks of me as...)_

—_I am disgusting, I am psychotic, I am dangerous, I am a menace, I am unloved, I am_ **alone**—

_(...Human)_

—_But, jiji, what are these weird things I am feeling and hearing?_—

**[Somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind, a low chuckle reverberates]**

"Ne, ne, can you get on with the cutting, H-Hinata-chan?" He laughed off her worry, though he'd begun to shiver slightly, "I'm getting kind of cold..."

Without wasting a moment, the violet-haired girl reached into her pocket to pull out a glittering kunai. In the slight sunlight, it glittered and twinkled from clearly being polished and sharpened so many times.

_(Why would a first year Academy student need to carry a weapon?)_

—_Is it because of _**that**_ time?_—

—_When she screamed and screamed and struggled and felt so _**helpless**_?_—

_We are all broken children in broken worlds._

Gripping a lock of his hair, Hinata took the kunai to it, cutting off the end. Naruto let the concentrating little girl go about her work, not wanting to interrupt her with his usual inane babbling and screw everything up. Instead, he contented himself with staring at his own reflection in the water, smiling slightly.

**[He smiles]**

**[He waits]**

_(But I'm always waiting.)_

_(Never leaving...never moving...and...)_

—"'_Tachi-san? We're best friends, right, right?"_—

—"_...Hn. Why do you ask?"_—

—"_Because I've never had a friend...so...ah, I guess I don't know! I just like having you as a best friend, 'Tachi-san!"_—

—"_...Of course, Naruto-kun."_—

_I am made of star-shine and darkness._

_And this girl...with the glittering, deadly kunai so close to my throat and the sweet, sweet eyes..._

_(She is made of clouds and never-ending compassion.)_

The girl in question sighed once before slicing another lock of hair. "Why do y-you always act so c-carelessly-ly, Naruto-kun? W-We could've d-done this back at m-my house." Even though she was clearly reprimanding him and frustrated, Naruto quelled the sudden urge to laugh because...

_She cares, she cares, and that is all that matters._

"Isn't it more fun this way, Hinata-chan? It's so beautiful and wonderful outside, and the cold is hardly noticeable!" He said this while a violent shiver ran through him. The Hyūga heiress giggled musically as she measured two strands of hair.

"I'll hurry up," She said shortly, twisting his head to one side while smothering her growing panic for his wellbeing. Even with his head oddly twisted, the young flaxen-haired boy was still smiling.

_(She's come so far in her confidence...)_

_(...Back in the weeks before, she was...)_

—"_A-Ano...y-you d-don't actually have to-to s-s-sit with me, N-Naruto-kun. I'm f-fine b-by myself-f..."_—

_(Which reminds me of back when I was nothing more than...)_

—"_Ne, ne, 'Tachi-san, would you help me with this?"_—

_(...A toddler, who asked for the world yet expected absolutely nothing.)_

Spying something from the corner of his eye, Naruto tilted his head slightly more to glance up the steep hill. A small figure walked across the path above, head held high and a scowl on the pallid face.

**[A smirk]**

_(Ah...such a typical non-Itachi Uchiha.)_

Once upon a time, there was a boy named Uzumaki Naruto who was so, so alone.

He was still alone nowadays, but perhaps less so.

Once upon a time, there was a boy named Uchiha Sasuke who cared so much.

He no longer cared these days, but perhaps he should've.

**[He watches the tiny Uchiha walk by]**

"Hinata-chan...please hurry up so we can get to your father—"

"Don't r-rush m-me, Naruto-kun!"

**·**

**·**

**·**

The man with the long, lustrous, brown hair stood before him, white eyes scrutinizing. Though instead of cowering (like some might), the little Uzumaki boy did nothing more than grin enthusiastically. It was a…rather reckless and foolish move, yet…

_He's so much like _**him**_ and _**her**_._

Hiashi sighed, "Uzumaki-kun, what do you know of the Byakugan?" Taking his eyes off the young boy, the Hyūga clan head looked off into the distance, beginning to walk into the adjoining room.

**[He frowns]**

Scurrying after the Hyūga, Naruto murmured, "Um…not much, not much. I…uh…spent a lot of time around Uchiha Itachi—you should know that, since most of the adults know—, so I know a bit about the Sharingan. But not much about the Byakugan."

_(I know secrets no non-clan member should know.)_

"Hmm…" Hiashi hummed, still pacing slowly forward with Naruto at his side, "In any case, your lack of understanding of the Byakugan and the Hyūga clan is not detrimental to what I called you here for today. In fact, most of what people _think_ they understand of the Byakugan is incorrect. Konoha's dojutsu are guarded well, after all."

**[The blonde one nods, keeping up with the white-eyed one]**

"The Byakugan…" Hiashi continued, mindful of any prying eyes or snooping ears—with _his own_ Byakugan activated—, "Is a dojutsu unlike the Sharingan. While the Sharingan is primarily used for genjutsu and ninjutsu, the Byakugan aids us in taijutsu and tracking. I won't be so ignorant as to think that the Sharingan is anything _less_ than the perfect match for the Byakugan, even if the users were…"

"Less than worthy?" Naruto joked, knowing of the Hyūga's intense dislike of the Uchiha clan. Hiashi's lips remained slack, but there was a tiny twinkle in his lavender-tinged eyes indicating his amusement.

"You could say that. All I'm inclined to say is that Uchiha Itachi is not an enemy to the Hyūga as of yet."

_(Not…an enemy, you say?)_

_(Not even after all he's done…?)_

—"_ITACHI! WHY? WHY DID YOU DO THIS?"_—

"What does the Byakugan…do anyway?" Naruto inquired in a muffled voice, as he was currently staring at the floor, "I know that…Hinata-chan uses it to see things that are far away…but…"

_(…But…I do not consider _**him**_ an enemy either.)_

—_but I _**know**—

"With the Byakugan, we can not only see a perfect three-sixty degree view around us—though the length of our _vision_ varies with each Byakugan user—, but we Hyūga can use our Byakugan to…_see_ the Chakra flowing inside of each individual person. The flow, the Chakra nodes, where it collects…it is a very useful Bloodline Limit when put to proper use."

"But how does that—"

"Please, Uzumaki-kun, allow me to continue," Hiashi commanded in his usual deep and soft, yet stern voice, "…Now, I'm sure you're familiar with the Hyūga clan's personal martial art form, the Jyūken? You've seen Hinata and Hanabi practice it, correct?"

The boy with the azure eyes bobbed his head once in a nod. The Hyūga clan head was in an unusually talkative mood, so he'd try not to interrupt the man who was suddenly so willing to share these clan and Konoha secrets.

"The Jyūken is based on an ancient form of taijutsu called the Baguazhang. Though once it thrived during the years before the creation of the Hidden Villages, the Baguazhang has since become nothing more than a myth. The Jyūken is the last connection to that ancient form of taijutsu."

"I thought the Jyūkenpō was the Hyūga clan's personal style because you use your Byakugan…" Naruto murmured, pausing beside the elder Hyūga who gazed down on him.

_(So little do I know…and yet they still…)_

Hiashi nodded curtly. "Exactly, Uzumaki-kun. It is an _improved_ style of the Baguazhang, because while it uses the same moves and forms of the ancient style, it is specified for the Hyūga. The Hyūga have improved it to be infinitely more powerful. Do you know why, Uzumaki-kun?"

**[A blank stare]**

"The Tenketsu, Uzumaki-kun," Hiashi sighed, and as he sighed, he slid one of the fusuma doors open, "Being able to plug the Tenketsu…being able to render even the most accomplished shinobi practically useless…it is a highly valued skill, Uzumaki-kun. Very much sought after."

Behind the fusuma door there was a plain room with a man kneeling on a tatami mat in the middle. Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly, but more in confusion than anything. He'd never…been in this room before, but that was to be expected. They were in a wing of the Hyūga estate that the Uzumaki boy had never visited before—he'd never had to.

"I would guess so…" The little boy murmured, still staring at the nameless Hyūga sitting in the middle of the room, "But…uh…why…why tell me? I know I'm friends with Hinata-chan…but…I'm still not a Hyūga."

"…You still do not see, do you?" The adult shook his head—his expression was unreadable, but Naruto could read _Uchiha Itachi_, so this man was no challenge—in slight perplexity, "Nevertheless, you do not actually believe I would inform any other soul of these slight secrets besides the Hokage?"

_Do I not see what…?_

_(Because sometimes, you know, I feel blind.)_

_(Blinded by things and shapes and sad sights.)_

**[Blue eyes darken significantly in remembrance]**

**[A hand rests on his shoulder]**

Hyūga Hiashi let out a deep breath and looked away. "If you can't understand things now, which you most likely can't, please remain patient, Uzumaki-kun. In time, the world will make sense and things will fall into place, even if there are bumps along the way…" At this, Hiashi trailed off, and Naruto could see the pain and sadness buried deep in his milky white eyes.

_(We are all broken children in broken worlds…)_

—_but that…is not true…_—

_(We are breaking humans in an already forlorn world…)_

—_and do I even want the world to make sense?_—

And…Hyūga Hiashi just seemed so, so sad, even if it was nearly imperceptible. Who had he loved? Who had he cared for? Who had rested in his heart?

And where were they now?

"Maybe, maybe," Naruto murmured, then grinned brightly up at the aging shinobi, "But we can always overcome the bumps if we know how to jump, ne?"

So, it seemed that…

—_beyond broken dreams and forlorn worlds and breaking humans, hope resides in doses_—

_(Perhaps most are too far to see it…)_

_(But again, misery only serves to brew even more misery.)_

It was definitely something noteworthy, to see and sense the way the room could light up with only one smile from the ever-optimistic maelstrom boy. It was something…told of in cheesy stories and from love-struck fools, but in this case it seemed to have truth to it. But perhaps that was to be expected, because he was Uzumaki Naruto—and for Uzumaki Naruto, things that were dubbed impossible just…weren't.

If he weren't Hyūga Hiashi, he would've smiled right back broadly.

_If you could only see him now, Minato,_ the Hyūga clan head thought as he gazed down on the infamous Kyūbi container (his pseudo-child); _you'd be…I know you'd be more than proud of him. You and Kushina both._

"Perhaps, Uzumaki-kun, perhaps," Hiashi conceded, "But, for now, we should move on to more pressing matters." As if called for, the man who knelt in the center of the room stood up (Naruto only just realized that the man's eyes were closed). "This is a distant cousin of mine—Hyūga Isao."

**[The man opens his eyes]**

Naruto couldn't keep his own eyes from widening.

Twin lilac eyes—not white but _lilac_—stared back into his own blue eyes, with two dark pupils placed directly in the middle.

"He…he doesn't have…" Naruto started before trailing off, speechless and entirely bewildered. Hiashi watched on with mild amusement—sometimes it was easy to catch a glimpse of the Naruto that hadn't quite grown up yet.

"Does every Uchiha have the Sharingan? Does every Senju possess the Mokuton?" The Hyūga asked rhetorically, "Sometimes the Bloodline Limit is not awakened in a clan member; it can't be helped. But…" And now the clan head focussed his gaze on Isao, who merely waited politely, "Unlike the…Uchiha and their lamentable actions, we do not ostracize clan members absent of the Byakugan. That is not the Hyūga way. Every weak links at first glance can be tempered into the link that holds everything together."

_Ah. Are we links and chains?_

_Because that could be good or bad._

_(We could be the links connecting to home and to love and to family and friends.)_

_(Or we could be the chains keeping us from our full potential.)_

"That's…very human."

"We _are_ human, though it can be difficult to see."

—_so we live in links and chains_—

_Perhaps we can control the actions and reactions by pulling the strings…_

"And not only are we human but we are Hyūga. Despite not possessing the Byakugan—despite the fact that, had he been an Uchiha he would've been banished or executed—, Isao is still family. Still a Hyūga."

"The Uchiha would…k-kill their own family for _that?_" Naruto stammered out, his mind suddenly blank.

_(It matters not what Itachi's done…)_

—_because I know it in full_—

_(But to kill one who loves you…simply because of…)_

—"_Please, otou-san! I'm sure my Sharingan will activate soon! Please…DON'T!"_—

"Think not of these fleeting subjects, Uzumaki-kun. I did not mean to put a damper on your spirits," Hiashi said in a gentle voice—and sometimes it was oh-so easy to see that he was Hinata's father—, "It is simply necessary for you to understand that not every Hyūga is gifted with our Bloodline Limit."

Hyūga Isao stood calmly, hearing their conversation but not reaction in the slightest. It was as if he…

_(After a while, you learn to tolerate the murmurings concerning you.)_

Suddenly remembering the topic of their earlier discussion, Naruto blanched. "But…about the Jyūken…and without the Byakugan. Can…can he still…?" The Uzumaki looked to Isao as if in confirmation. When he received none, his eyes drifted back up to the Hyūga clan head.

"I will say this once, Uzumaki-kun," He spoke in his low voice, and there was a note of finality to it, "No one without the Byakugan may learn the Jyūken. Not only would it be relatively ineffective, but it would be rather dangerous to the user. Though…" He paused here for a moment, "That's not to say we let our family without our infamous dojutsu to fend for themselves."

_(Is it silly to hope for peace and…)_

—_in your lifetime, things will gradually become…_—

"Pardon, Hiashi-sama, but may I please take over?" Isao requested politely, a light smile resting ever-so slightly on his lips.

**[The clan head nods]**

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Naruto-san," The man with the lilac eyes started, "Forgive me for not making an appearance until now."

"It's…uh…it's fine."

"Regardless, Naruto-san, we are family now, are we not?"

_Family…?_

_(In what dimension am I…loved to the extent of…)_

"Family?" Naruto questioned both Hyūga simultaneously, not singling one out in particular. His pretty (oh-so pretty and sparkling) blue eyes widened noticeably, the naivety staining the edges of his irises—they were fuzzy and hazy from the lack of comprehension, even though…

—_in this world, we are tested by the strength of our minds, our bodies, and our bonds, are we not?_—

—_and if one of the three should slip even fractionally, we would all…_—

Perish.

**[A rare smile appears on the white-eyed man's lips]**

"All in due time, Uzumaki-kun," He spoke, "For now, Isao has much to discuss with you and much to show you."

**[A gentle nudge in the right direction]**

The small boy—the boy who was so young yet so old—took the hand of the older Hyūga who offered it.

Upon his pale pink lips lay a frown, but it would not grow comfortable in its place. Of that, Hiashi was certain.

"Come now, Naruto-san, there's much to do in so little time. As of this day onward, I will be instructing you in the noble art of the Kyūshopō. That is…if you consent?"

This boy, made of uncertain advances and lost chances.

(Hidden beneath the star-shine, in the midst of the darkness.)

**[A faint smile upon pale pink lips]**

"…Sure, sure, Isao-san."

The elder Hyūga watched on with a fond look in his eyes.

_If only you could see, Minato. If only I could lend you my eyes from time to time._

Beyond the fusuma door, beyond the walls, beyond the estate, a crow would caw into the late evening.

—"'_Tachi-san…do good people exist?"_—

—"…_Hn. That's for you to decide, Naruto-kun."_—

_('Tachi-san…)_

_(I think I have.)_

\.../

_**A/N: **_**Maa, I'm finally done this chapter! It took me ages. …Now…what was I going to talk about? Geez, I had so much to say here too. Oh yes, for one, I took a few creative liberties with the Hyūga clan—Hiashi's connection to Minato (which should be obvious but will be revealed shortly), the Hyūga family's general disposition and attitude (which will change up a few things, let me tell you), and Hinata's confidence issues slowly resolving with the help of Naruto. I'm probably going to have another chapter of Naruto's younger years before I have him graduate, okay? Things need to be resolved and shown, as well as I need to show him learning the Kyūsho, kay?**

**Oh, by the way:**

**Jyūken: The Gentle Fist**

**Jyūkenpō: The Gentle Fist Style**

**Kyūsho: The Tender Spot**

**Kyūshopō: The Tender Spot Style (Will be explained next chapter.)**

**By the way, the Baguazhang actually is a form of martial arts that the Jyūken is sort of based off. Look it up—it's pretty cool. Also, don't think I'm purposefully making Iruka mean (this story doesn't contain any bashing unless it's canon for them to act in such ways), but you should remember that Iruka didn't really like Naruto in the beginning, because he **_**did**_** have the mentality of the villagers.**

**Until next time…**

**-Atom-**


	4. Chapter Two

_**A/N:**_** Please continue on...**

/...\

_Chapter Two_

**Third Person POV:**

Seasons change on whims.

"A Hyūga plugs the Tenketsu with their Chakra, in order to render their opponent powerless."

Schedules can be made; oh, there are no rules.

"With the Tenketsu sealed shut, it is made impossible to gather or release Chakra."

Of days and weeks and months, days grow long and nights grow short.

"It is a delicate procedure, of course. One requiring intense concentration and _that_ extraordinary vision."

On whims and dreary, unfortunate chances.

"It is something only the Hyūga gifted with the Byakugan can do. For us, it would be...little more than impossible."

Seasons without names, yet as recognizable as the day and night.

"So we, the Hyūga without that dojutsu, practice a different kind of art."

Beneath the packed snow, the soil remains moist.

"The Kyūshopō."

As the seasons change, the soil is freed.

"There is not much to say about the Kyūshopō. Like the Jyuken, we use our Chakra to inflict damage upon our enemy."

Freed, but caught by the harsh realities of change.

"Though instead of targeting the Tenketsu, the Kyūshopō focuses on the _pressure points_. The areas of most pain."

There is no freedom.

"We plug the pressure points with our Chakra—trying to infuse as much pain as possible into our opponent."

Bygones become enemies.

"Following the same movements as the Jyuken—and, as such, the Baguazhang—, the Kyūsho is a dangerous style."

Enemies become bygones.

"Please place your hand flat, Naruto-san. The first pressure point to work on is the solar plexus..."

And in the midst of this changing, the seasons will revert back.

The snow will trap the soil again.

**·**

**·**

**·**

Sooner or later the years would pass on. They would drag and drag and tirelessly drag on, but eventually they would pass. Upon seasons and births and deaths, everything would move on. But...

—"'_Tachi-san, 'Tachi-san, do you wanna come show me some sheenobee things today?"_—

_Still not moving on._

He would advance in the Academy—the little maelstrom boy with the ever-bright eyes—and so would the tiny Hyūga at his side. Watching over the littlest Uchiha (not that big of a task as it was), he would study his quirks and learn his habits, to better aid him in his goal of...

—"_I promise, I p-promise, 'Tachi-san."_—

But still as he...did try very hard to make each day count and to ensure that he was becoming stronger (he would never stop, could not stop, was deemed to _never_ stop), it was all...worthless smiles and fleeting heartbeats.

It was all so confusing and made no sense. He _loved_ these people—nay, he _adored_ them with all his heart—; Hinata, Hiashi, Isao, the Sandaime, Ayame and her father, and the rest of the Hyūga clan. They were his family and his home—everything he could possibly ask for, no? It was always about them, how to protect them _better_, how to love them _better_, how to help and aid them _better_.

And then...there was that...

**[A heartbeat flutters momentarily]**

_(There are still stares—and why, oh why?)_

_(Their hands just...can't do.)_

—_can't, won't, I won't let them—_

Every now and then there was the same old...

"Jiji, did I ever tell you how lovely those doors are?"

"Yes, Naruto-chan. Every week without fail."

"Oh, oh...I..."

He was still so young, young, young, and so not ready for any of this. Perhaps it was fate or perhaps it was destiny (although Naruto would never say that aloud, as he was still currently in the midst of getting Neji-nii off that kick), but everything seemed to always...pile up just when things seemed to be looking up.

—_he was—_

So innocent.

So naive.

And despite _knowing_ (all these wretched secrets that could poison ears and clog veins and plague minds _nonstop_) and _living_ (in constant awareness of the hate-filled glares for the who-knows-what), he was still the tiny maelstrom boy that he always had been. The tiny Uzumaki with the friendly aura and the glistening, blue eyes that could warm any willing heart or cleanse any redeeming soul...

_(I want happiness.)_

_(For my 'family', my friends, my 'Tachi-san, and myself...)_

_(For anyone who frowns when they smile and cries when they laugh.)_

—he'll grow, even as the time passes—

The time _would_ pass, slowly but surely, and despite everything—despite the trees, and the seasons, and the clouds, and the confusion, and the lack of hummingbirds anymore—, he would still _exist_ and still _love_.

Despite feeling empty.

Despite anything.

But what could become? How could someone reach into his chest and mend his cooling—and he would not say decaying, for he still held love deep inside—heart? It was, after all, a futile wish...

_(You love who you love and that's all there is.)_

It was, as some could call, a predestined meeting. It was, as some would say, an impossible feat. And yet...

**[He touches over his heart]**

No amount of loving, no amount of caring, and no matter how far someone like Hinata had burrowed their way into his heart, they could not sooth those...those burns and scars and frozen patches.

_(Our bonds are untouchable.)_

It was existing and loving, but just barely. There was still a place to call home, still people to shower with his love...

_(I suppose being made of links and chains isn't so bad...)_

_(For they tie us together.)_

—"'_Tachi-san, will we always have each other?"_—

—"_As long as you wish, Naruto-kun."_—

_You love who you love and that's all there is._

**·**

**·**

**·**

Weeks would change and soon it was the autumn season again with the Academy's end for Naruto clear in sight. He would graduate soon—and that was for sure, since he refused to embarrass himself by scoring even a _point less_ than what he deemed appropriate on his tests (the Hyūga pride had rubbed off on him over the years)—and join his first Genin team.

The Academy years would be done with, those days of diligent note-taking and lazy afternoons playing outside. Soon it would be about responsibilities and missions and lives at risk.

**[The blonde one grins]**

_(I can't wait.)_

"Naruto, how about I treat you to some ramen tonight?" Iruka-sensei proposed one day out of the blue (although not _so_ out of the blue, considering that the scarred teacher had gradually warmed up to him over the years). It was unexpected, yes, but Naruto _never_ looked a gift horse in the mouth.

"Sure, sure, Iruka-sensei," He agreed, smiling to the older man in his usual bright way, "But...uh...can we eat quickly? I have to train with Isao-sensei later."

It was still odd, even three years later, to hear of how quickly the Hyūga clan had accepted Naruto.

_He is...one of their own._

_As dear to them as Hanabi or Hinata (though not worth the same, of course)._

But instead of showing the slight befuddlement on his face—and Iruka did not yet know of Naruto's strange talent for reading people—, the tanned teacher merely nodded once and smiled back. There was a certain understanding between them now—Naruto knew not to push Iruka as the man would grow to love him on his own, and Iruka knew...Iruka knew...

_He is Naruto. Nothing else._

So, after informing Hinata of his later planned activities, the violet-haired heiress sent him a sweet smile and bid him farewell before departing. The children would swarm out of the stuffy room swiftly, but Naruto would remain behind, jumping from desk to desk as Iruka-sensei finished correcting and stacking papers.

**[Time would pass]**

"Iruka-sensei, why do you teach?" Naruto asked unexpectedly, not pausing in his desk jumping (and Iruka wanted to yell at him to not dirty the desks, but the boy just looked so _content_ and _peaceful_).

**[The scarred man looks up]**

"Well, why do you want to be a shinobi, Naruto?" He asked semi-rhetorically, "It's the same sort of thing. We do what appeals to us, no?"

_(Is that...really what you think...?)_

"I want to be a ninja because...I want to be strong enough to protect an important person of mine," Naruto said softly, "Or...not so much protect, because they can do that well on their own...but I want to be _there_ for that person."

There was a clock ticking somewhere and the Uzumaki boy had never told someone this much in his life.

_(Who...cares anymore?)_

_(Even if he somehow knows...or guesses...)_

—_Hokage-jiji knows the truth as well—_

"Hm...then I suppose our reasons are slightly different," Iruka-sensei murmured, "But, in the end, it's all about our duty to Konoha, no matter if we like it or not. It's just best to find that one thing you enjoy most."

It might've been a naive thought or a whimsical notion, but...in ways...it filled Naruto with a mystical sort of peace. Of course; everything was for Konohagakure no Sato and it mattered not of anything else.

_(It falls again, in the end.)_

But...thinking of Konoha and the Land of Fire and duties and obligations...it was all so...

_(We see less of family and bonds and friends and lovers then we do of this sense of commitment.)_

Of all things...

—Forgetting the most important things in favour of _this_—

—"'_Tachi-san, what's a ninja's job?"_—

—"_We are obligated to protect the village and all its inhabitants."_—

—"_That seems nice."_—

—"_It would be."_—

_(Above love and bonds, we place responsibilities on things that ought not to have any.)_

"Yeah, yeah, Iruka-sensei," Naruto snickered, halting in his desk hopping as the older man stood up calmly, sorting the papers into a drawer before moving towards the door. As did Naruto.

It was the autumn season—of musky smells and falling leaves—, so it was slightly chilly outdoors. Not that the growing maelstrom boy (the one made of darkness and star-shine) really minded, seeing as how his new orange jumpsuit combated well against the cold. It might've been obnoxious of him—and it actually was—, but he _adored_ this jumpsuit.

Because he...above all things...

_(I will not be forgotten.)_

_(I will not be ignored.)_

And was this not his own unique way of getting attention? For...he would not—_could_ not—beg for it (Hyūga pride above everything else). But that did not mean he didn't _desperately_ want it.

Because... _(I...)_

"Is something wrong, Naruto?" Iruka asked in a soft voice, but the boy merely shook his head once, not quite interested in bothering the teacher with his internal musings and troublesome thoughts.

_I am..._

_(If we are made of links and chains, what could become of all this?)_

_They are..._

_(Times are fast changing, not following cycles or rhythms.)_

_This is..._

"Can we go to Ichiraku now?"

**[A benign smile]**

"By all means, Naruto, lead the way."

And he did; through alleyways and down main streets (not pausing even under the _glares_ and _stares_ and **scowls**), the little Uzumaki boy led the older Umino to the ramen bar situated in the middle of the village. Recognizing the familiar curtain flaps, Naruto ducked under one—oh the joys of being tiny—and sat himself at one of the stools.

"Hello, customers," Ayame—grown-up, teenage Ayame with the same brown eyes and bandana—greeted when she noticed his round little face and the fuzzy collared jumpsuit he wore everywhere.

"Hello, hello, Ayame-nee-chan!" Naruto exclaimed, all smiles and sparkling eyes.

We are creatures of many sights.

Of blind spots and coloured visions.

_(Where you see this, I see that.)_

"Nice to see you, Naruto!" The girl chirped excitedly (as she adored the puny blonde boy—but then again, who didn't?), practically skipping over to the counter, "And hello to you as well, Iruka-san!" Oh, how she'd grown, into a lovely woman of dewy mornings and bursting elation.

_(Do you see _**that**_ sight?)_

—_it is covered in sin and lies in decay—_

_(I see _**potential**_.)_

Overlooked and overlapped, by unworthy—or wandering—hearts, but we are as diverse as the winter and the spring.

"So what'll it be today, guys?" The waitress continued on, clapping her hands together. Away from the conversation at the front, Teuchi chuckled at his daughter's brimming enthusiasm. Iruka too smiled widely, seeing more of Naruto's influence in her than he could've believed.

"Well, well, three bowls of shio ramen for starters!" The little Uzumaki boy ordered, "I don't know what Iruka's having though..." Confused eyes surveyed. Iruka could already hear his wallet cry out in agony.

"You poor man..." Ayame suddenly sobered up, regarding the tanned teacher with no small amount of pity.

**[A shared laugh]**

_We are creatures of several _**eyes**_._

_Perhaps it is another thing we will never have in common._

The smile from the azure-eyed, pint-sized shrimp of a boy was absolutely blinding in its true-cheer.

_(I want to protect something with a vulnerability that no one else can see.)_

—"_There's so much to do! So much to see! The light is bright and so are we!"_—

These **eyes** of mine...

Will see more than you'll ever see.

—"_There's no need to sing, Naruto-kun. Besides, weren't we playing hide-and-go-seek?"_—

Or perhaps just different sights.

—"_These eyes of mine will always find you, 'Tachi-san! No matter where you are!"_—

(Wherever you are.)

**·**

**·**

**·**

"Sayonara, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto called out as he bid Iruka farewell, making his way into the Hyūga estate. With one final glance towards the smiling face of his tanned teacher, Naruto rushed inside, the large doors shutting behind him.

The moon would wax and wane.

**[Inside of him, there is a low growl]**

Walking through the estate—on light feet with hardly a sound—, a brindled cat sprinted by. The little kitty was all too familiar to the young Uzumaki boy, so he was not startled and did not stop in his...

_(You accustom yourself to the rest of everything else.)_

For as the feline flitted by, a small child donning an elegant cream kimono sprinted by as well, petite feet making _pitter-patter_ sounds against the floorboards. Naruto observed this in amusement, his expression only changing to a wince when the child's foot caught on the end of her kimono and sent her sprawling.

**[The blonde one sighs]**

"Isn't this a familiar sight, Rin-chan?" The boy exhaled with a smile, holding his hand out for the little girl to gasp. The tiny, dark-haired Hyūga lifted her head and offered him her own unique grin.

Pale, sightless eyes gazed into his.

_(Even among those of this famous dojutsu, there are those who...)_

Bona fide sightless eyes.

"Naruto-nii-chan!" Rin said, groping around the air space in front of her for his hand (it was their little ritual, and one that Naruto could just _not_ give up.)

"Where's Hanabi-chan, Rin-chan?" Naruto asked in minor curiosity, looking around for Hiashi's youngest child. Rin and Hanabi were extremely close relatives and happened to always accompany one another, therefore it was a perplexing sight to see one without the other.

"Hanabi-chan and Hinata-sama are training with Hiashi-sama and Neji-kun,' The little blind Rin informed him, "So I'm playing with Nya-Nya."

Of course, the cat was already long gone.

It only figured that Rin would name her cat after the sound it made.

"Then, then would you like to come with me while I train with Isao-sensei?"

**[A sweet smile]**

_(I see my best friend in you.)_

She nodded and Naruto began to tug her in the direction of Isao-sensei's training studio, in the west wing of the Hyūga estate. The girl—the one no older than six, cursed with the fractured eyes and nonexistent vision—smiled in her usual unique and crooked way (but still so loving and full of goodwill).

Her long cocoa-coloured hair swished behind her as they strolled forward, and it was clear to anyone just how similar in appearance Hanabi and Rin were. But where Hanabi was made of hard lines and sharp features, Rin was all round cheeks and soft skin—someone without a chance at a kunoichi life.

—"_What do you want to do, Rin-chan?"_—

—"_I want to be a kunoichi, Naruto-nii-chan! Just like Hanabi-chan!"_—

—"_But...but what about...your eyes, Rin-chan?"_—

—"_I'll still do my best! I want to be able to protect Hanabi-chan!"_—

_(Forgive me, Rin-chan. But I can't...)_

Sometimes it takes so much to believe.

When they arrived, Isao-sensei was already going through some warm-ups. He raised a singular eyebrow at Naruto's obvious late arrival, but smiled warmly as he noticed the tiny girl who trailed along beside the Uzumaki boy. Instantly, said little boy apologized profusely, bowing lowly.

**[He waves the apology away]**

"You're wasting much time with your apologizing, Naruto-san," He spoke in his usual rich voice—full of knowledge and power, but coated with an undeniable modesty—, beckoning his young student forward, "Again, we have much to do as always. Now, clear your mind and we begin."

_(So, so much to...stop thinking—)_

—_you burn these lessons into your memory—_

**[A calm mind and relaxed body]**

All I know are the circles, the loops, the bends, the twists—

His warm-ups consisted of those same movements, never breaking from the pattern, engraining the rhythm into his very core. How could one train their body to move in those perfect circles without years of dedicated training? How could one learn those deadly moves—the ones derived from the highly esteemed Baguazhang—without putting their whole soul into it?

_(The solar plexus, the spinal cord, the brachial plexus, the radial nerve, the lumbar plexus...)_

_(So much to choose from.)_

"Loosen your legs, Naruto-san," Isao-sensei drawled from where he was observing, "You're tightening up. Apply more Chakra to your palms." The little boy—the sweating, red-faced one—nodded sharply, following his sensei's commands.

The swings of his arms became more elegant and the movements of his legs became wide, sweeping motions. His palms—tinted blue by his Chakra (and it was taking _so much_ of his energy to focus on the movements _and_ the Chakra control)—thrust forward every now and then, jabs meant to break bones and render foes unconscious.

—_I can hear the screams this style has brought_—

In between waves of tremendous pain and dying heartbeats, there was a beauty in the Kyūshopō, just like with the Jyukenpō.

In the circular movements and powerful arm thrusts and snapping kicks.

In the ducking motions and body twists and contorted limbs.

There was...

_(You will not find this elegance and these dance-like movements anywhere else.)_

In those things, it was easy to see the spirit and soul and pride of the Hyūga clan. In that grace, in that power, in that refusal to ever stand down or give up. In such things, it was impossible _not_ to see Hiashi, and Hanabi, and Hinata, and Isao, and Neji, and even little Rin—

Hours would flow by, like a river or a captivating play. Night would fall to deeper night and a small girl would struggle to stay awake, listening only to the constant panting breaths of a boy she held so close to her heart.

"That might be enough for tonight, Naruto-san," A voice suddenly murmured in Naruto's ear, and a hand grasped his shoulder.

Without a second thought—as his mind was _instinct, instinct, instinct_—, the little, fierce maelstrom boy whirled around, Chakra enveloping both hands which were aimed for the nearest piece of flesh.

**[Strong, pale hands halt all movement]**

"You're losing focus with your exhaustion," Isao-sensei informed him sagely, holding his wrist tightly, "It's the end of our lesson for tonight, I'm certain of it now."

Slowly but surely, Naruto began to calm down, panting heavily as the energy seeped from his small body. Isao-sensei had definitely been right—the room was now blurry and unclear from his watery eyes. How he'd lasted this long completely astounded him.

"Kay, kay...sensei," The little boy murmured—bleary eyed and flushed red—with a yawn, and began to shuffle towards the _fusuma_ door. Unbeknownst to him, the half-asleep, blind Hyūga girl trotted along after him, stifling a yawn.

The twists and turns were still...engrained in his movements (in his mind), and so when he moved—

—circular movements—

—perfect poise—

It wasn't quite dawn, but it would be getting there awfully soon. Sleep was necessary—and much needed—, so it would be what it was.

Still pounding in his head, the ultimate beat (or perhaps conundrum?), even when the dark-haired Hyūga girl grasped his sweaty hand, he did not notice. Perhaps his sensory nerves were too numb from the exertion of the Chakra that had continuously covered his palms for hours.

In any case, the boy—the one who _refused_ to give up, who _denied_ failure, who _demanded_ recognition—...yes, _that_ one, limped his way back to his designated room. Holding the hand of a tiny, blind girl (the one with the attributes so akin to the best friend of the maelstrom boy) who was...

"Naruto-nii-chan, you shouldn't rely on me so much," Rin grumbled crankily, much less tired than the boy at her side though still holding back yawns and struggling to keep dry eyes open. She made her way through the estate—through the corridors and the adjoining chambers—mostly by memory, but also by sound.

(Echoes upon echoes.)

"Rin-chan..."

"Mhm?"

"I can't see straight and it feels like something exploded in my head. Just guide me."

**·**

**·**

**·**

Sleep.

Sleep was good, and it left room for improvements. To the mind and the body and the emotions—

Sleep could be lovely.

—drifting in and out, though it is but the smallest fragment of freedom—

_("Haha, I'm tired! I wanna sleep now...")_

_("Could I go to bed, Chichi?")_

These words could mean nothing and something. It could mean the end to a horrible day and come in the form of a reprieve. It could mean the end to a gorgeous day and come in the form of a disappointment. These two split opposites...how could they coexist so harmoniously?

Because to him...to _that_ boy, sleep was...

—behind closed eyelids, it is...what is it?—

_(It's _**burning**_.)_

_(And what are these? Memories of mine that are not mind.)_

**[Screams and shrieks are heard]**

Was he in a dream?

A dream of screams and pain...and this itching under his skin. But how could it be anything? Without an image and all he could understand was...his _skin_ was absorbing all these sensations and remembrances.

_(What is sleep? It cannot be a figment of imaginations...as...)_

—"_You do not appear rested. Did you sleep last night, Naruto-kun?"_—

—"_Um...no, no, 'Tachi-san. More nightmares."_—

Even so far back as to _those_ days, sleep had been something foreboding and nightmares had been something familiar.

They still were.

Where was he this time? Nowhere again, it seemed, but that was also usual. All he could taste on his tongue was this...metallic **hate** and all that could course through his veins was this...bloodlust.

Bloodlust? Why was such a thing so unusual yet he could feel the sensation in his fingertips and boiling in his belly? Such a qualia it was...

In the distance of (wherever he was), he could still hear those screams. For some, they might've incited tears or cringes, but he'd felt all these things before. Felt and heard and tasted, but never _seen_. Once upon a time, he might've shivered and shook and whimpered in...

PATHETIC FEAR.

_(such things are...)_

_(to express these things, what a laugh!)_

Ineffable.

—_the chains are tightening—_

**[A fearsome roar]**

_(What...is this?)_

"**In time, child, you will know."**

That voice again...

He knew it, heard it, lived with it—

_(Who is it?)_

"_Naruto!"_

**[Closed eyelids snap open]**

Sleep could be lovely.

—_what is this wetness on my skin?—_

Too bad it never was.

—a cold sweat, a track of tears, a line of drool—

"Naruto?" A blurry form appeared above him. "You were suffering mares again, Naruto."

Said boy blinked his eyes several times, trying to rid them of the blur—the tears that flooded those blue orbs and clung to lashes—, not taking his eyes off the pale and dark form above him. Long brown hair became visible, as did the regal, pale skin of a Hyūga.

It could've been Rin, but he was greeted to by a sharp jaw line and eyes that moved like they _knew_.

"Hanabi-chan..." He whispered, but his voice was thick and caught in his throat.

"Do you want some tea?"

The Uzumaki boy shook his head once, still disoriented from being woken of the nightmares. Hanabi kneeled beside his laying form, and perhaps she'd only awoken him because she'd heard the sounds of his restless distress (her room was closest to his after all). It was...

Still all so clear and vivid.

He could no longer hear **that** voice, but it was still fresh in his mind.

**[A glance taken to the Hyūga girl]**

Could he...?

The truth bubbled behind his lips.

Stern, white eyes tinged with lavender locked with his.

The truth fell back and the bubbles popped.

—_They were..._**those**_ eyes_...—besides being trusted so much, besides being loved and remembered and honoured and cared for...those eyes were too (too calm, too peaceful, too feigning docility)_ everything else_ to...

Once upon a time, he would've spilled any secret for uncommon, starry-patterned, bloody gazes.

_(Now it's fallen short.)_

"No thank you, Hanabi-chan," Naruto refused quietly, barely managing to paint a smile on his face (with sky blue or cerulean or azure or sapphire—was it really shifting and mixing so well?—eyes that were so haunted), "It's too late anyway." He glanced out the window only a few feet away to see the sky slowly lighting up with the rising sun.

"Morning will come shortly. You could read until then." Hanabi's concerned suggestions always did sound suspiciously like demands; and although they weren't particularly close—not like he was with Hinata or Rin or even Isao-sensei—, Naruto did appreciate her showing him even the slightest bit of consideration.

_(For all the seasons combined cannot match this...)_

"I think I will. Thank you again, Hanabi-chan."

He rarely did show anyone this side of him. Of course secrets were hard to keep or hold onto in the household of the Hyūga, so his experiencing of night terrors was _known_, but to what extent? To what purpose?

_That_, he would prefer to keep hidden.

The long-haired girl—the one made of veiled worries and cold fronts—was soon up and swept from the room without so much as a _goodbye_.

It was silent again and Naruto suddenly regretted not taking the tea offer.

**·**

**·**

**·**

The next day was...well, it was things that made Naruto's spirits lift. This could've been a calmness and probably was.

Perhaps it was.

**[A gentle smile]**

It was.

So it was what it was, and spending time with his three favourite girls was always an upside to anything. Even if that meant giving up a portion of his masculinity. Caring for such things was beyond him.

"Y-you didn't sleep well, Na-Naruto-kun?" His best friend asked in her usual timid voice (though it was stained with familiarity and her own personal brand of assertiveness). With the dark circles under his eyes, it would be futile for the Uzumaki boy to lie.

Instead, he attempted to offer the violet-haired girl a reassuring smile, though it probably didn't help. "Ah, sorry, sorry, Hinata-chan; I had more nightmares, so I read until breakfast."

"How m-many...um...hours of sleep d-did you g-get?"

**[A delicate flower is plucked]**

"Maybe two?"

**[A delicate flower is crushed]**

"I could k-knock you out if y-you'd l-like?" The heiress offered, looking almost serious with her would-be threat (but was it really?). Naruto blinked once before smiling brilliantly.

"It's fine, Hinata-chan!" He laughed, waving a tiny hand in response, "I'll be fine."

"That's stupid," Hanabi's voice came out of nowhere, "You need at least eight hours of sleep. You're supposed to be a shinobi-in-training, aren't you? Does the Academy really teach so little?" Out of the forest walked the stoic girl, pale fists at her sides.

_(Does she really care so much for me?)_

The tall grass around them swayed in the breeze.

"Hanabi-chan! That's not nice to say!" Rin called out, also emerging from the forest, having followed Hanabi's voice. Her look-alike scowled lightly before settling back into her deadpan expression.

Behind the Hyūga estate there was quite the extensive forest, one that the four of them (Rin, Naruto, Hinata, and Hanabi) were well knowledgeable about. Knowing the ins and outs, having claimed it as their personal play area, they could spend hours—perhaps days—among the wild ferns and the lovely daffodils.

Farther into the forest, there was a charming, little meadow where they could relax in the tall grass and stare up at the sky.

**[A cold breeze signals winter's impending arrival]**

"It's going to snow soon," Naruto sighed, falling back listlessly against the semi-soft ground. Sitting beside him, Hinata ran a hand gingerly through his hair.

"Hai, hai," She agreed, "In the coming months, but earlier than usual."

Oh the Hyūga children and their uncanny talents for sensing changing weather patterns.

The air became muted again, though it was possible to hear the cicadas from the trees and bushes.

Light and...it was sort of hot, but not really.

Playing in a quiet meadow with three of the precious Hyūga children...who could've guessed this would one day be the future of the Kyūbi brat.

—"_There are good people, Naruto-chan. You just have to look deep enough."_—

"Graduation's tomorrow," The maelstrom boy breathed carefully, feelings of...what-could-this-be filling him. Again, it was ineffable.

"I s-suppose so."

**[An exhaled breath]**

"More and more change."

_(I miss the hummingbirds.)_

—_but does he really?—_

_(No...)_

_(I miss that canorous voice telling me about the hummingbirds.)_

—one step forward—

Away from the past (away from 'Tachi-san of those days) but to the future (towards 'Tachi-san of these days).

He didn't know whether to feel excited or dread these upcoming events.

**[Pained eyes]**

_(I wish things had never changed.)_

"Y-yes, Naruto-kun. M-more and m-more change."

**·**

**·**

**·**

But things had changed. No more was there a sanity to the motions of a rhythm to the ideas.

_(Ah. Yes, the sanity has been slipping.)_

It was a day later and **the** day—_what day?_—not anyway but _the_ day. Had he been looking forward to this day? Perhaps, but perhaps not. It was difficult to tell in the memories. Of course, all of the fallen sky...

**[He takes a breath]**

A graduation. He was still simply a child, but this day would mark his ascension into the ranks of the shinobi and into adulthood.

Lo and behold; these things...

They shall happen one by one.

Hinata fidgeted in the seat beside him, her pale face glistening with a nervous sweat and her hands shaking. So she was anxious, but again that made sense? For all the training she'd had in the Jyukenpō, for all her skill and prowess in her Clan's style, she had the lowest self-confidence imaginable. Though...was it just that?

**[Kind eyes seem hesitant and full of would-be guilt]**

_(No. It's not.)_

Those were hands that never meant to hurt...that meant to mend and love and lift everyone higher than they could've imagined... (but to smash, to break, to maim, to _slay_)...

**[He wants to shake his head]**

"Hyūga Hinata?" Her name was called from the front of the classroom, where Iruka had reappeared with Haruno Sakura, the pink-haired girl with the ever-ferocious temper. The usually talkative little girl was now sombre and silent, holding her headband in her hands.

—we soon all realize this grave meaning—

On wobbly legs, Hinata stood up, her eyes downcast as she prepared to follow Iruka from the classroom. She was so...with trembling hands...with nervously bitten lips...with an increasingly pale visage...

_(Can she even do this?)_

But of course she could. It was hard to see—nearly an impossibility if you didn't look closely, which no one ever seemed to do—, but this Hyūga heiress _(the one made of clouds and never-ending compassion)_ was tougher than...

She was a warrior.

With the hands of a healer.

**[The blonde one reaches out]**

She looked back down with wide, perplexed eyes.

"You'll do fine, Hinata-chan. Remember Hanabi-chan and Rin-chan."

_(Remember who you're doing this for.)_

—broken worlds, sightless eyes, frozen hearts—

_(We're all the same in those regards.)_

**[A smile and still hands]**

"A-ah. You're right, Naruto-k-kun."

Not another word passed as she swept from the room, the hood of her cream-coloured jacket flowing behind her. Did silence once again descend upon the room?

Why yes, it did.

—taijutsu, genjutsu, ninjutsu—

—you will learn these as if they keep you alive—

**[A sinister laugh filled with malice]**

Naruto clutched at his head as the sound rumbled through.

"**Well, child, they do."**

And again, there it was, the feeling of blood soaking his hands and endless screams echoing in the background. He squeezed his eyes shut, _his_ hands now trembling, heart now racing...

Lungs and...

_(I can't bear this.)_

"Hn. Scared, loser?"

...

Up to the row ahead of him Naruto glanced, pushing aside the _screams_ and the _blood_ and the _hate_ to glare in slight annoyance. In that face—that one so similar without the tear troughs and gentle eyes—he could see so much of (**that** person) that it...

_(Is this hate or sadness that I feel?)_

—_why am I always so far yet so close to him?—_

"Even if I _was_," Naruto hissed, letting venom slip into his voice, "I doubt it's any of your concern, _Uchiha_."

_(I will look out for you.)_

_(I will keep you alive.)_

_(I will save you.)_

_(But...)_

"So mind your own business," was the last thing Naruto snapped before turning to the front.

_(I will not befriend you.)_

Our eyes all see different things.

—glacial rooms, shrouded with the darkness seeping from **him**—

Despite seeing the same thing—_an Uchiha, a prodigy, a _**paragon**—...

_(I see...)_

**[Perfect skin and angry, onyx eyes]**

**·**

**·**

**·**

"Uzumaki Naruto?"

_(Ah. It's my turn.)_

He wouldn't see some of the sneers as he left the classroom.

—_oh, in the days of childhood woes and these unfair times—_

**·**

**·**

**·**

"Please perform for us the three basic ninjutsu techniques, Naruto-san."

_(Who is this? A man made of bitter leaves and wavering loyalties.)_

This was someone who put on fake smiles and attempted to hide behind eyes of feigned kindness.

"Hai, Mizuki-sensei."

—_in sewers, rats will die alone—_

—_in the open...—_

"Bunshin no Jutsu!"

\.../

_**A/N: **_**I hope you liked this chapter. It was a bit shorter than the last one, but that's okay, I think. I felt like it was appropriate to stop the chapter here, seeing as how the Bunshin was always Naruto's weakest technique. But what will become of this? Will he pass and never be targeted by Mizuki? What will become of the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu? **

**So maybe things to consider, hm? I hope you liked the addition of Rin, the first blind Hyūga. I really do like her character and she will become pretty important, especially to the development of Hanabi's character. Maybe Neji will come in the next chapters or so. Too bad you'll have to wait a long time before Itachi returns though. Maybe I'll do an Itachi only chapter sometime though?**

**Review please!**

**-Atom-**


	5. Chapter Three

_**A/N:**_** Thank you for the reviews and such ^_^ I'm sorry if this story is slightly confusing to read! I love the style of writing I'm using though, so…probably not gonna change it any time soon. If there's anything you want to know or want **_**me**_** to know, um…let me know. Thanks! Onwards…**

/...\

_Chapter Three_

**Third Person POV:**

His clone was flawless.

Although, that was to be expected. One did not mess up in Chakra control when one had been—albeit shortly—mentored by Uchiha Itachi and trained in the noble art of the Kyūshopō. That would be…

Laughable.

Both Mizuki and Iruka had been impressed by his Bunshin, Henge, and Kawarimi, but then again, they'd never seen him use any of the Jutsu except during his introduction to them.

_(No one cares enough.)_

_(I am not enough.)_

—he wasn't **born** for this—

_I WORKED FOR THIS._

"Good job, Naruto," Iruka spoke with a beam, getting over his tad bout of shock rather quickly, "You pass!" The tanned Chūnin beckoned Naruto forward to come collect his headband.

The man made of bitter leaves and wavering loyalties flinched, as if wanting to stop the Umino from handing Naruto the forehead protector that would promote him to Genin. Naruto didn't doubt for a moment that Mizuki would if he could.

—"_Jiji, what happens to good people?"_—

—"_That's a difficult question to answer, Naruto-chan, for you see…"_—

Fate cares not about anyone—regardless.

"Thank you, Iruka-sensei!" exclaimed the boy made of darkness and star-shine, tying the headband on. It felt like it was made to rest on his forehead, as the fabric was cool…and reassuring.

**[A smile]**

"You earned it. Now let's go—Yamanaka Ino's next."

**[He stands up]**

Mizuki's hand reached out to grab at Iruka. Although he never made it, the supportive teacher noticed his movement and turned to him, eyes questioning. His mouth opened once before closing, but Mizuki did not say a thing; instead, he chose to smile falsely and retreat into his shell.

_His shell?_

What shell?

Startling blue eyes pierced into Mizuki's own and the teacher then _knew_. _'I knew what you're made of,'_ the azure eyes seemed to whisper, almost singing it. Mizuki's pale grey eyes widened, but the Uzumaki and the Umino had vacated the room before he could voice his worries.

_(You'll never hide anything from me.)_

—"'_Tachi-san, why are you always so mad?"_—

—"…_I'm afraid you're mistaken, Naruto-kun. I'm not angry."_—

—"_Don't lie to me, 'Tachi-san! You've been…f-fr-frustrated lately, mostly when you talk about your clan."_—

—"…_I…"_—

_(Why do I know so much?)_

Emotions were definitely something unique to the Uzumaki clan.

**·**

**·**

**·**

"_He_ actually passed?"

"I can't believe Naruto-baka made a decent clone. I bet it wasn't really good."

"Hokage-sama's making a grave mistake."

"_That kid_ definitely cheated."

"I don't want _the demon_ on a team with my Amu!"

_I'm still… (so alone)…_

The star-shine was starting to crack.

**·**

**·**

**·**

He couldn't sleep that night—their words still rang in his ears…over and over. The moon was ivory and full, more of a nightlight than he needed and it also kept Naruto awake, shining behind his closed eyelids. Perhaps it was the end result of all the day's events or perhaps it was just the night itself but—

**[He sits up abruptly]**

_Just why couldn't he sleep?_

There were no screams and shrieks, no blood upon his fingertips, and there was no craving for—_what was it again?_—_death_.

And not that he missed it! Because that would surely be insane, to wish…to miss those night-time terrors and to want more…but they…they'd never left him (not for a moment, not for a day, not for his **life**). So why did they evade him now? Why did they not grip him now?

Had they…finally gone?

**[A held back snicker]**

How silly.

_Ah, but to build castles in the sky._

So, instead of allowing himself to entertain such whimsical notions and—_fragile, delicate, (already _**shattered**_)_—hopes, Naruto's tiny feet slid from his bed to press lightly against the cold, creaking floorboards. His apartment, if it could even be called that, was not very high-end—if anything, it was old and decrepit, falling apart at the seams.

He didn't know how quite it made him feel.

—_we are creatures that have evolved into something much darker—_

The moment the heels of his feet touched the nearly-frosted surface of the floor and an unexplained shock shot up his spine, Naruto knew. There was something amiss in the air, and, despite not knowing what or _how he knew_, he needed to be _there_. His warm bed became a distant want at the back of his mind, and the open window was a good-enough door.

The village was at rest, but the Uzumaki boy was not as he flitted from rooftop to rooftop. How late it was, he did not know, but was that really important?

_Do you remember the waning and waxing moon?_

Of course he did—he was right in the middle of it.

_Where to go…where to go,_ the maelstrom boy pondered as he paused briefly on the roof of a random house. In his haste to taste action and—_the metallic coursing bloodlust and hatred seemed to fill veins again_—fulfill something extraordinary…he didn't know **what**.

**[A mental sigh]**

_(Not my own)_ Not his own.

"**The forest…the forest…"**

**[Widened eyes and a choked breath]**

_That_ voice again.

Regardless though, of its malicious timbre or of its mysteriousness, he listened to it. For, it was a part of him and how could anything that _made_ him _deceive_ him? Perhaps it was foolish, but Naruto didn't contemplate this as he sprinted in the direction of the forest that rested on the outskirts of the village.

Silence had settled in the forest, but that was to be expected; it was, after all, the dead of night and what could be going on at this unreasonable hour? Of course, that wasn't exactly a hard question to answer.

—"_There is no quota of hours for a shinobi."_—

Who'd spoken those words to him? It was hard to remember.

Really, all he could remember of his childhood was—

_(dead ends following dead ends)_

The small boy—barely old enough to be called an 'adolescent' yet already considered an adult—shot from branch to branch, keeping an eye on the lookout. For a few minutes, he could see nothing more than the leaves and the moonlight. His instincts (those bloody **senses** that seemed to switch on and off on **senseless** whims) still pounded furiously but…

**[A brief flickering shape]**

Through the trees, definitely not more than thirty feet, a body raced by, though Naruto couldn't get a good enough view as his vision was hindered by the distance and the body's speed. But it was human, and the Chakra that pulsed freely from it was not high enough to be considered a serious threat.

_We are all easily hoodwinked._

He knew this and continued on chasing the figure.

Behind a few trees further ahead, the figure had stopped and Naruto concealed his Chakra (as best he could—as good as his Chakra control was, it wasn't Jōnin level yet) in order to observe it.

_(Oh look…we have a _**rat**_.)_

Mizuki wasn't fooled by the Uzumaki boy's attempt at hiding his Chakra signature.

"Who's there?" The grey-eyed teacher called out, holding a large scroll close to his chest, "Come out!"

_Is he an idiot?,_ Naruto thought in incredibility, _is he really calling attention to himself so easily?_ But instead of listening to his rational thoughts, Naruto emerged from the darker parts of the forest, allowing the moonlight to illuminate his face.

"Oh, it's just _you_," Mizuki said with no small amount of contempt, "Run off, brat. You're not part of my plan anymore."

"What are you doing?" The blonde boy asked, not so easily deterred.

**[He scowls]**

"None of your fucking business, _fox_. Now piss off—I don't have time for you."

_(Fox? But that doesn't…)_

"**The surprises won't end here, child."**

The voice hinted at tales of horrid revelations and dark pasts. How many unknown skeletons did he have a in his closet?

But the boy never moved, choosing instead to stand his ground and stare emotionlessly at his ex-teacher. Mizuki actually seemed a bit unsettled, not used to a non-hyperactive Naruto. Blue eyes—eyes that shifted and shifted with shades upon shades—were trained on the rat of a teacher, not entirely sure of what to do.

His heart beat faster now.

"You're not allowed to have that," Naruto pointed out, peeking around Mizuki to get a glimpse at the scroll with the kanji for **Forbidden** printed on it. The rat tried to cover the scroll better, but alas Naruto had already seen enough.

Pale grey eyes lit up with an idea.

"Actually…" Mizuki drawled, leaving the scroll against the base of a tree, "Don't go yet. Maybe I _do_ have a bit of time left for you." The pale eyes that seemed to only hold contempt narrowed, "Since Konoha did me this _favour_, perhaps I'll do them a service too."

_(A service…?)_

**[A low growl reverberates]**

Before he could even process the words completely, four shuriken were suddenly whipped at him and Naruto was forced to duck out of the way. The attacks did not end there as Mizuki launched himself at the young boy, kunai in hand.

_Dodge, doge, duck, sprint, jump—_

He didn't have time to return any attacks—he was barely a Genin and this man was a full-fledged Chūnin. All Naruto could focus on was the slight pain that was left behind from each swipe of the kunai as it slid across his body, barely avoiding stabbing into him.

_Run, run, run, run, run, _**hide**_—HE'S RIGHT THERE!_

Naruto held back a shriek as the man advanced on him, backing quickly into a tree. A quite insane, deliriously mad smile tugged at his lips—those thin, almost white pieces of flesh.

_How could he hope to…_

Despite all his training…even with all the hours spent with Isao-sensei doing nothing but learning to fight…and while 'Tachi-san had spent precious days and months educating him as best he could…Naruto couldn't…

_(I'm worthless.)_

_(I'm useless.)_

_(I'm powerless.)_

—no—

"**How dare you allow yourself to be cornered, child! My container will not be a spineless civilian!"**

Something _else_ entered his veins, but he understood it. That metallic taste of hatred and bloodlust and—

**[Shrieks and screams are distantly heard]**

Blue Chakra enveloped his fists and his vision suddenly seemed tinted—_was it darker? _**Yes**_ it was darker_—, and Mizuki paused, mildly wary now. The maelstrom boy felt _more, more, more _with something else and he kept hearing laughter in his head.

_(No…this isn't in my head…)_

His demonic, maniacal laughter echoed throughout the forest and Mizuki found himself staring in horror into two garnet irises with slit pupils.

There was ripping and shredding and the cloaking feeling of Killing Intent weighing over the forest. The screams that rang in Naruto's head became real, and they filled the air…filled the atmosphere…filled the universe.

**[More crazed cackles]**

That tinted vision and swimming feeling of elated lust for bloodshed…it was all so…

The past seemed irrelevant now and the future seemed redundant.

—where was the star-shine now?—

What was all of this?

"**Good, good, child. Doesn't this feel natural?"**

_(Yes.)_

It all came to a screeching stop. The abhorrence for humanity (or everything) snapped back and the strange tint faded away. What did it leave behind…? What appeared before him when his vision returned to him…?

His hands were clasped around a severed arm.

**[Terrified blue, blue eyes]**

The screams became real again, but this time from a different source.

**·**

**·**

**·**

"Naruto-chan?"

"…"

"Naruto?"

"…What?"

"I know this might seem uncouth and insensitive, but how are you feeling?"

"…"

"Naruto-chan—"

"You want to know _how I'm feeling_ after I just—"

"It's standard procedure, Naruto-chan."

"…Sick."

"I see. Well, that's okay; most people react the same way after…"

"…Jiji, he tried to kill me."

"I know, Naruto, and you had every right as a shinobi to—"

"Jiji, _he tried to kill me!_ Why did he try to kill me?"

"Naruto-chan…"

"JIJI, WHY DID HE—"

"_Naruto!"_

"…I…"

"I'm sorry, Naruto-chan, but there's much we have to talk about…"

"…I…I…"

_(What am I?)_

**·**

**·**

**·**

It was strange, because even as seasons changed, they changed slowly. From frosty days where exhales looked like puffs of steam to the blazing summer heat when all one wanted to do was douse themselves in cold water.

Everything passed slowly.

Everything took time.

_(Except…that's not entirely…)_

—everything feels different and nothing's the same—

_I'm different, I'm different, I'm different—_

—"'_Tachi-san, why do these people call me mean names?"—_

—"_They're disgusting excuses for human beings, Naruto-kun. You need not bother yourself with them."—_

They…they…

_(They are.)_

Hinata was beside him, but she didn't know anything. That was what Naruto kept telling himself. Over and over again until it was all that made sense—_she doesn't know, she doesn't know, but she still cares, she still cares, she still…_

_It's. Not. My. Fault._

And perhaps it was for that reason, that despite the bruises and scabs and cuts that littered his already mangled heart, she would always be _there_, buried beneath the rough patches and crumbled corners.

_There are those who love you and…_

**[He looks at everyone else in his class]**

_There will be those who don't. There will never be a middle ground._

(Does that make you feel lonely?)

—Maybe it does—

"Team One will be composed of…" Iruka-sensei's voice came from the front of the class, and every single graduate settled down in order to listen clearly. Naruto felt no real need to do so though—it was plainly obvious he'd be put on a team with the Hyūga heiress. They had the ideal skills and teamwork for a successful team.

It was only logical.

_However, maybe…_

"Team Seven will be composed of Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto, and Uchiha Sasuke." At first, Naruto barely heard anything (for he hadn't been nearly paying as close attention as everyone else, plus the Haruno girl had begun shrieking at the top of her lungs), but he felt a certain amount of pity for whoever was on the team with the pink-haired girl.

He looked around the classroom for the poor blokes.

All eyes were on him, and the littlest Uchiha just seemed incredibly ticked off—_like usual._

**[He pales]**

_(Oh this is not funny.)_

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto protested, standing up, "Why am I on a team with _them?_ I don't even like Uchiha or Haruno!" While the young aforementioned Uchiha merely glared stonily at the angered Uzumaki, Sakura snarled and retorted right back.

"Shut up, idiot! You should be _thankful_ to be on a team with Sasuke-kun! If—"

"Haruno, just shut your trap," Naruto advised her snidely, not in a particularly benevolent mood _at all_, "I really don't give a shit about you or Pansy-Ass over there. I want to know _why_ I'm not on a team with Hinata-chan. This makes. No. Sense."

He punctuated his statement with a glare at the tanned, and now sweating, teacher who simply sighed and shook his head.

"Naruto, you know I don't decide these things. The Hokage does with my recommendations, and apparently he thought you, Sasuke, and Sakura would make a good team. Now please sit down. I'm not done yet."

The furious maelstrom boy grudgingly did what was asked of him, but not before shooting both his teammates dirty looks.

_(How could jiji…)_

"N-Naruto…y-you don't h-have to worr-ry so much," Hinata tried to reassure him, lavender-tinged eyes opened earnestly, "We-we'll still s-s-see each other every d-day."

But did it really matter…

It was more of a sense of betrayal, and Naruto could feel his slight dreams for the future shattering around him.

—_another one—_

—_another one I am being ripped away from—_

_(Why do you keep doing this to me, jiji?)_

He fumed as Hinata—_his best friend_—was placed on a team with Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino. He didn't necessarily mind the Aburame, but that Kiba kid with his loyal little pup was…

He gave Hinata strange eyes that Naruto didn't understand much or like.

"**You'll understand those eyes sooner than you think, child."**

The boy tried to recall memories of him asking 'Tachi-san about—_those eyes_—but there were none. He hadn't noticed—_those eyes_—at the time.

So what were they?

_(I still don't like them.)_

And as Iruka-sensei read off the last team, Naruto abruptly stood up, storming from the classroom. Seeing her best friend stomp off in a huff, Hinata sighed and followed along after him (even she knew of his inner struggles and turmoil, as did Itachi).

—after all—

**[Lavender-tinged eyes scan everything]**

(_Her_ eyes see everything.)

"N-Naruto!" She called out as he fled the Academy with short yet quick strides of his thin legs. Her equally tiny legs—albeit daintier—struggled to match his pace, not fuelled by the same indignation that seemed to work as a speed booster for him. The little Hyūga panted as she hurried on after him.

"Naruto-k-kun!"

The pint-sized Genin boy stopped in his tracks, although that bewildered him. He hadn't responded to her the first two times, had he? Then why had he halted _now?_

—"_Please wait a moment, Naruto-kun."—_

—"_Naruto-kun, it's easy to see you hiding from here."—_

—"_It's okay to cry, Naruto-kun; you're still human as they are."—_

—"_Words from those you don't hold in high regards are meaningless, Naruto-kun."—_

—"_Naruto-kun."—_

—"_Naruto-kun."—_

—"_I'll always be here, Naruto-kun."—_

_(Oh.)_

"I can't, Hinata-chan," He whispered in an exhaled, head dropping slightly, "I just can't. You know how much I _hate_…"

But of course she did. Even not knowing _all_ of his secrets and—self-doubts, worries, wishes, dreams, _nightmares_—other things, the Hyūga princess knew him as the moon knew the Earth, moving in constant rotation.

And she knew of his unexplained detestation of Uchiha Sasuke, even if she didn't know _why_. Regardless of the reason though, Hinata knew he would sooner tear off his own leg than work cooperatively with the Uchiha.

Plus, if Hinata were to be honest, she was also irked not to be placed on a team with Naruto.

"**They want to hinder your progress, child. The meddlesome village."**

—_no, please, there has to be another reason—_

"**No, there isn't, child. Enough with your pathetic hopes and denial."**

_(NO. JIJI, WHY WITH _**HIM**_?)_

_That_ voice was speaking to him more as the days progressed, but Naruto knew better than to mention it to anyone. After all…now that he was aware of what _it_ was, he knew that sympathy…or even pity…would be…

—you'll be hard-pressed to find it here—

Did they really trust him so little? Did they really think that putting him on a team where his talents could _shine_ and his skills could _improve_ (without needless restrictions) was _too much?_

If so, then…

"I'm s-sorry, Naruto-kun," Hinata apologized, though the fault was not on her part, "Maybe they w-wanted us t-to make new friends-s?" One of her hands slipped into his.

**[He plasters on a fake smile]**

"Maybe, maybe," He said, filling his voice with false positivity.

**[A frown]**

"P-Please don't hid-hide your feelings from m-me, Naruto-kun," She spoke in a breathy voice (her natural voice, the one that sounded like it floated on the clouds she was made of).

_Do you still understand eyes?_

Each person would see something different, but while Naruto could see _more_ he had to stop forgetting that so could _she_.

He had to sigh, and it seemed to drift up to the clear blue sky in order to mingle with the clouds. _How appropriate,_ he mused.

_(I'm sorry I can never tell you about the mangled state of my heart, Hinata-chan.)_

The boy in the puffy orange jumpsuit stood beside the girl who donned the equally puffy, beige jacket and the blue pants, staring up to the sky. It was only sad that…

_(We are breaking humans in an already forlorn world.)_

Oh, but he would cope with the injustice of it all.

For he was…

"Ne, ne, Hinata-chan," He said with a grin, allowing the anger to flee his body, "Perhaps you _are_ right."

—we'll always still be together, but…—

_(Persevere, persevere, persevere.)_

_I will _**never**_ fall down._

**·**

**·**

**·**

The three of them sat in the most uncomfortable of silences, but that was to be expected as well. All of the other teams had been collected already (it'd taken five minutes for Hinata and Naruto say their goodbyes in fact), but it seemed like _their_ sensei hadn't yet been informed of having a new team.

Two hours had passed.

"When is that fucking deadbeat going to get here?" Naruto murmured in a pissed off voice under his breath. Said boy leaned against his desk, glaring up at the ceiling.

"If you don't like waiting, usuratonkachi," The Uchiha in the room snapped, though it was clear that he too was getting increasingly more impatient, "Then just leave. No one's stopping you."

_(Oh? The grand emo-tastic Uchiha can speak more than four words, can he?)_

"Piss off, teme. I don't feel like putting up with your bullshit." Naruto had lately learned that the most effective way to put up with the youngest Uchiha was simply to act curt with him and pretend you didn't care.

Not that it was pretending in Naruto's case.

Sakura rounded on Naruto, a fire blazing in her could-be-considered pretty viridian eyes. "Shut up, Naruto-baka! You're seriously starting to get on my nerves—" She was cut off as a figure suddenly appeared in front of her. Blue Chakra-covered hands were brought down heavily, breaking the desk she'd been sitting behind.

**[Shocked green eyes stare into annoyed blue ones]**

Shock turned to petrify.

Not waiting for her to respond, Naruto calmly skipped away from the horrified Genin and the smashed desk. Iruka-sensei was going to have a cow later, but at least Sakura would perhaps shut up around him now.

Honestly, the benefits far outweighed the consequences.

_(These people…they are mere annoyances.)_

"So you can actually _do_ something, Uzumaki," Sasuke taunted, "Too bad you're still as useless as they come."

Sasuke was foolish. If there was one thing he was, it was that—Itachi had never been wrong and probably never would. It was an oxymoron, most likely, because while the Uchiha boy absolutely _abhorred_ attention, he strived to get it if it was not on him. Therefore Naruto, who couldn't have cared less about the dark-haired boy, was Sasuke's primary and only dubbed rival.

Even if he would never admit it.

And although Naruto knew this _(knew it, understood it, _**loathed**_ it),_ he just could _not_ give Sasuke the satisfaction of having his attention fixated solely on the Uchiha boy. Could not.

So Sasuke was foolish—_in that way…_

"Whatever, Pansy-Ass," He scoffed, continuing on his way to his old desk, climbing up the stairs. Sasuke growled and promptly shot to his feet.

"_What_ did you call me, usuratonkachi?"

Naruto felt that maybe, in some alternate universe, their roles would've been reversed.

Sakura turned her eyes on her two new teammates, obviously still scared out of his wits, but also contemplating if she was hallucinating. Cool, aloof Uchiha Sasuke snapping at the slightest remark? Hyperactive, usually super positive Uzumaki Naruto growling and emitting a dark aura?

_It's…probably better not to question these things._

Doing his best to ignore the slightly ticked off Genin, Naruto continued on his way up the staircase. Perhaps if he didn't provoke the boy this whole situation would die a quick death.

"**CHILD!"**

Maelstrom eyes widened before Naruto spun around, the hand now holding his kunai coming up to bat away the shuriken that'd been soaring towards the back of his head. The twin metal surfaces clanged together before the shuriken dropped uselessly to the floor.

**[An Uchiha smirks]**

There was nothing for a few seconds—neither a breath nor a word— until Naruto glowered at the _kid_ who'd attacked him. Sasuke just seemed smug.

"You're a disgusting excuse for a human being."

Sasuke's smug expression evaporated.

"Honestly, _Uchiha_, you're the most pathetic sight I've ever come across," Naruto sneered, "I'm actually kind of surprised Itachi left you alive instead of killing you off just like the rest of your trash fami—"

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Sasuke's hands shot through several seals, but before he could form the last one, a glove-covered hand clasped over his wrist tightly.

It seemed their sensei had finally arrived.

**·**

**·**

**·**

A demolished desk, a traumatized young girl, an enraged Uchiha, and the Kyūbi container emanating a tangible darkness.

Kakashi could do nothing more than smile under his mask.

"My first impression of you is…"

He saw reflections in all of them, no matter how smudged those reflections were.

"You're not too bad. Now meet me on the root."

**[He teleports away]**

**·**

**·**

**·**

By the time they'd trudged up the stairs to the roof—each keeping approximately five feet from the others—, their silver-haired sensei was already lounging nonchalantly against the railing, an eye _(only one) _trained on the clouds.

_(What does he see through his eye?)_

"You all took your time."

Sparks of blue Chakra danced around Naruto's newly formed fists. The new man noticed this and made a note of it. Oh how he hoped this new, interesting little batch of Genin passed as they were absolutely the most adorable things he'd ever seen.

With his free hand—the one that _wasn't_ stuffed in the pocket of his navy blue, uniform-regulated pants—, he motioned for the _pre_-Genin children to take a seat in front of him on the steps. They acrimoniously did so, though admittedly the two boys sat as far away from each other as possible while the girl seated herself directly next to the Uchiha.

—such an odd bunch to be placed together—

"Let's get started on introductions, shall we?" The Jōnin drawled, pulling out his other hand to clap them together, "Tell me your name, likes, dislikes, hobbies, and dreams. Pinky, go."

"I…um…sensei, could you go first?"

**[A single lifted eyebrow]**

"…Very well. My name is Hatake Kakashi. My likes and dislikes are none of your business. I have many hobbies. As for my dreams…" He looked off momentarily before turning his attention back on the Haruno. "Your turn, Pinky."

The collective thought was, _'All we learned was his name.'_

"**Don't be fooled by his lackadaisical attitude, child. Only the best get to his level and act like that."**

_(I know that.)_

"Um…my name is Haruno Sakura. I like—" at this she cut off to squeal loudly, peeking over at Sasuke, "I dislike…Ino-pig and Naruto-baka!" She looked over to check his reaction—obviously a little paranoid—, but only apathy coloured his expression, "I…uh…my hobbies are related to my _likes_, and my dream is to—" Another squeal-shriek.

Naruto seriously considered taking out his freshly polished kunai to stab her in the temple.

"Interesting." Kakashi didn't look like he totally believed his statement. "Alright, you're next, Broody."

**[A glare]**

The Uchiha shifted where he sat, bringing his pale hands up to clasp together under his chin. Dark bangs fell forward to shadow darker eyes—it seriously bothered Naruto, like an itch beneath his skin, but he chose to say nothing.

It was a little sad that this boy (who seemed years older than he actually was) would've been completely irrelevant to him had he not had the uchiwa symbol decorating the back of his blue shirt.

"I'm Uchiha Sasuke. I don't like many things and I like very few. My hobbies are the concern of myself." His head lifted somewhat and the glint of his slate eyes was barely visible. "As for dreams, I do not have one. Instead I have an ambition…and my ambition is the restoration of my clan and the…death of a certain man."

"**Ohohoho, how are you going to respond to that, child?"**

**[The boy stiffens and cold eyes become stones]**

Kakashi noticed _this_ and took note of it.

"Good to know. What about you, Pseudo-Hyūga?"

Naruto had to grin at that—he understood the teasing undertones in the Hatake's voice and was overall amused by it. Kakashi probably meant him to be, to distract him from his growing anger, but it was appreciated nonetheless.

—_the silly grown-ups who believe in the goodness of others and such—_

_(Or is that just me?)_

"**Silly child."**

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto! I like the Hyūga clan, training, spending time with Hinata-chan, and ramen! I dislike my team." It was put so bluntly that Sakura flinched and Sasuke scoffed. "My hobbies are…training with Isao-sensei, eating ramen, and taking care of my plants. My dreams…hm…I want to…I have a precious person I miss. That's all I want to say."

_Precious person?_

Even the uchiwa-clad Genin was interested.

They hadn't known the—_hated, despised, disparaged, teased_—boy would have someone precious to him outside the clan of the all-seeing eyes.

"A special person?" The question slipped past Sakura's pretty, plump lips unwillingly as the curiosity won over.

**[A scoff]**

"Yeah, _Pinky_, but it's none of your goddamn—" He broke off as Kakashi interrupted him.

"Well you're going to be a lovely group of green-behind-the-ears Genin. I might actually pass you."

_Wait…_

—_give it a second; they'll all catch on—_

"What?"

"What."

"Hn?"

They couldn't see his face—really, it was rather peculiar to have such an outrageous Jōnin in charge of them, but the mask-thing was kind of narking. All they could see was one slate grey eye and the messy, gravity-defying bush he seemed to call hair.

But nonetheless, they could all see the shit-eating grin on his face, despite the obstruction.

"Oh, you didn't think you _really_ passed, did you?" Naruto didn't know why, but the demon within him was huffing in frustration. "You kiddies are kind of cute, I'll admit, but you're not Genin yet. You still have one more exam."

_(Oh how tedious.)_

"You can't be serious," Naruto deadpanned. The Jōnin's upturned eye was his response and it caused the Uzumaki boy to grown loudly.

He had _things_ to do and _goals_ to attain, so being on this going-nowhere unit with these going-nowhere teammates (though that was admittedly arguable on the Uchiha's part) was nothing but a waste of his time.

"**Don't be so petty, child."**

He raised his hand. "Alright. Another exam. Now can I leave, sensei?"

"That's rude, Pseudo-Hyūga. You don't want to spend more time with your loving, though potential sensei?"

"No."

**[Something snickers inside]**

Slate grey eyes suddenly became watery and the rims around a pinkish-tint of red. _Oh goodness, this adult…_

Naruto watched, semi-horrified, as the Hatake used the sleeve of his uniform to dab away at the crystal tears that'd formed in the corner of his eyes. "Fine, Pseudo-Hyūga. Go home. Leave me here with Broody and Pinky. It's fine."

_(Please tell me I'm not stuck with this moron for a sensei…)_

"**Child…"**

_(I KNOW. Book and cover, I get it.)_

That was a new development. Could he interact back with the sealed tailed beast? For all jiji had told him the night before, he hadn't told him _nearly_ enough.

"Goodbye then," Naruto muttered, getting up and exiting the same way he'd come up. On his way down, he rubbed at an ache that'd begun to build behind his eye.

_(Ugh. Hinata-chan was so wrong.)_

\.../

_**A/N:**_** Oh hello again. This must be the end, huh? Ugh, I wrote significantly less than I usually do, which irritated me only a little but still. Maybe this little author's note will make up for it. Um…what did I want to talk about again…oh yes. First off, it's kind of obvious now, but my version of the Kyūbi also has a slight speech weirdness, always calling Naruto 'child' in like every sentence. I liked it, so it's sticking. Another thing…oh! Kakashi's perception on them has dramatically changed now, mostly because Naruto's not the same Naruto as in canon.**

**I think that's all? It should be relatively straight forward other than that…I hope so. The writing is kind of confusing, I admit, but please bear with it if you can! Thank you ^_^**

**-Atom-**


	6. Chapter Four

_**A/N:**_** Hello, hello! Sorry my updates are all sporadic and stuff! I'm in the middle of finals, so it's been hard to not only get ideas for stories and such, but to actually find time to write them down on paper (I write before I type). I've also been super busy with personal stuff—um, I should stop making excuses and just get on with it, huh? Kay, continue...**

/...\

_Chapter Four_

**Third Person POV:**

It appeared that jiji knew some strange people.

"Stop squirming, brat!" The seemingly elderly man (in Naruto's opinion anyway) growled, drawing a second line across the brightly glowing seal on Naruto's stomach in ink.

"It's really cold!" The Uzumaki boy hollered back, "How about you try having some old pervert drawing on your stomach and see how much you like it?"

"I'm a super pervert, brat! Get it right or shut up!"

_(How does that make it better?)_

The man with the utterly wild yet pristine white hair glared at him in an irritated sort of way, but Naruto couldn't bring himself to care. Not lying across a blanket-covered table, shirtless, with a self-proclaimed _mega_ pervert touching his body.

He hadn't expected this when...

—"_Naruto-chan, about the break in the seal..."—_

—"_Yeah, jiji, you told me about that."—_

—"_Well, you see, I have a friend who..."—_

_(I know that kind of person...the one that naturally attracts the strangest characters.)_

So here he was now, in a predicament that he didn't altogether like, but at least it kept him away from his _sordid_ excuse for a team. They could go fool around or do any other type of activity while Naruto was locked behind steel-plated doors, being repaired as if he were no more than a broken marionette doll.

Whatever. At least some people _liked_ dolls.

Perhaps it was ungrateful of him to so instantly assume the worst of his newly instated cell, but with a past like his, who could blame him? In all sorts of situations, he knew that outcomes could fall any which way depending on previous circumstances.

"How much longer is this going to take, pervert-asshole?" He snapped, blue eyes showing all the discomfort and ire that had burrowed in his chest. Those dark eyes with the red tracks under them scrutinized him thoroughly.

**[He shifts uncomfortable]**

"Brat, you are being awfully noisy for someone who's getting a huge favour right now."

_(Peh. How can I deal with this outrageous old man?)_

A finger was dipped in ink again before tracing across his naval for the second time and the boy made of_—hummingbirds and false-cheer and star-shine and darkness—_**things** fought very hard not to flinch away from the freezing ink and finger. Why had he agreed to this again? Having a cracked seal wasn't such a bad thing, was it? It was...after all...still _partially_ intact.

"**My company isn't so unwelcome around you, is it, child?"**

—oh, is _that_ why you want to fix it?—

What difference would it make though?

The **nightmares** (and now day-mares) would still exist. Still exist and thrive off the beast's never-ending supply of energy. Because as..._helpful_ as the demon could be—

"**Let us not forget who the prisoner is here, child."**

The lines and curves and odd shapes were drawn over his stomach time and time again, and Naruto did his damn best to remain motionless and silent. It would be a cold day in hell before he cooperated with the eccentric man but he wanted this whole thing _over_ with.

It was, quite literally, driving him—

_(Physical contact has never been my strong suit.)_

For a few seconds then, there was no more—unwanted—touching until Naruto heard the man murmur a few words and two fingers pressed deeply against his belly button. A new force seemed to flood through his body now and it was _vicious_ and _merciless_.

**[His mouth opens in a silent scream]**

Was there even a reason for anything?

**·**

**·**

**·**

How sad these situations must seem, as we appear hapless and crying out for pity—or help or assistance or love or _something tangible and comforting_—, but what could anyone expect?

Aren't we fragile, helpless beings composed of tender flesh and malleable limbs and a thinning life-source? In that regard, aren't we such domestic, scared creatures?

_(But I...I do not think so.)_

How could you say that? Aren't we tiny beasts with easily broken psyches and easily broken bones? How could you see us any other way?

_(It is __**because**__ of those things that we have risen above all.)_

Oh really now?

And how might that be?

_(We are given these tools to prevail and we have. There are those of greater intellect and those of greater physical prowess and all the rest.)_

So we should break apart the world with our little hands and quickly beating hearts? Oh, please don't be ridiculous. What do you see beyond the rushing blood-filled bodies and the delicate skin that covers them?

_(I see a mind that can tear the world asunder and hands that can get the job done.)_

Naivety does not suit the beings made of careful spirits and sometimes twisted minds, now does it? It is a whimsical notion to believe that...

Do you think your species can survive?

These times are limited and so are our **lives**. Your grip on reality must be altered, I'm afraid to say. But oh well, such is to be said about humans and their feeble grasp on the everything that encompasses us.

_(Perhaps some may say these things. Perhaps some may agree.)_

—_but there is a lot you can see with __**eyes**__ like mine—_

**·**

**·**

**·**

"How are you feeling now, Naruto-chan?"

"It...hurts...like a bitc—"

"_Moving on._ Did Jiraiya treat you well? He used to be an old student of mine."

"_That_ pervert was your _student?_ How...how did you put up with him?"

"Every ninja has their quirks, Naruto-chan. You'll see that also with your new Jōnin sensei, Hatake Kakashi."

"So only the _insane_ Jōnin then? Great. Glad to see I got put on the team with—"

"Even Itachi-kun had his quirks, if you can remember that far back."

"..."

"...Naruto-chan?"

"Ah, fine, jiji. But don't leave me alone around that pervert anymore! He seriously freaks me out."

"Whatever you say, Naruto-chan."

**[The older man sighs as if in exasperation]**

**·**

**·**

**·**

It had been a futile thing to request of the Hokage in the end, it seemed. As if the old man could control the actions of the obvious extreme pervert. But...even if he couldn't...Naruto had not expected...

"Stop following me around, you pedophile!" Naruto shrieked, as he spun around in the middle of the street. The older man who donned the green short-skirt kimono and red cloak stopped abruptly in his walking.

"Don't call me a pedophile, brat! I like women! Lovely, beautiful women with exquisite curves—" Jiraiya broke off from his slight rant, almost drooling now, "Anyways, I like females! Not bad-tempered, malnourished brats like you!"

(Does he even understand the concept of a pedophile?)

"Whatever you say, pedophile-asshole."

"HEY! Don't you dare walk away from me, kid!"

It might've looked comical honestly. The great Jiraiya of the Legendary Sannin arguing with the—_...everything terrible and rotten...—_Kyūbi container.

_(This isn't amusing to me though.)_

Some people in the streets would stop to stare, bewildered and more than a little disapproving. In _their_ minds, it was all—

—"_The lack of respect these days..."—_

—"_How dare that child raise his voice to Jiraiya-sama!"—_

—"_The...the very impudence! The nerve!"—_

—"_What scum placed among humanity."—_

_Those_ eyes judged and judged him; hating him for something he had no control over; faulting him for something he didn't care about. And honestly...it was totally ironic. These..._people_ (or lesser forms of human beings) accused him of being the destructor of their world, a curse placed upon their beautiful village, and yet...

—you are backing a wild animal into a corner—

The star-shine was being overlapped, slowly but surely. He had no control over it, and it seemed inevitable. But how could...

_How can he..._

_(I'm so...just tired of all this...)_

Were the ends already within sight?

"You're quite broody for a kid, brat," Jiraiya remarked as they'd begun to trek in silence. Naruto's glare—although he hadn't realized he'd been doing so—lifted from the ground to move to the Toad Sannin.

"I don't _brood_, pedophile. I _think_, unlike some of us."

It was totally a jibe.

"Now see here, you doggone little—"

"I'm done talking with you," Naruto interrupted him bluntly, frustrated blue eyes trying to get the message across, "I'd say it's been nice..._hanging out_ with you, but it really hasn't. Now go away, you old pervert."

But even as he turned back around and continued on stalking through the village, the _clack-clack-clack_ of the wooden sandals did not stop.

—frustrations upon frustrations—

_(I am supposedly a nice person, so why does my temper run short now?)_

Maybe because he overly admired those who took their ninja career seriously, like the Hyūga clan and Itachi and jiji and even—he stifled a gag here—Sasuke.

Unlike this buffoon who called himself a shinobi.

_(I won't acknowledge him even as powerful as he is.)_

"Go away," Naruto growled without looking behind him.

**[The old man chuckles]**

Jiraiya's drawled voice almost caused Naruto to snap. "You can't tell me what to do, kid. I'm a Konoha shinobi as well and you're only a pre-Genin. You should respect your superiors, brat."

"I shall if I see one," The raging maelstrom of a boy sneered, lip curling back leisurely.

**[The smug smile melts into a genuine one]**

And maybe it was just the gleam of the sunlight on the old man's dark eyes or maybe it was from the sealing-induced nausea, but Naruto could've sworn he saw a glimmer of fondness on Jiraiya's face.

_But...I..._

_(I can't allow myself to think these things.)_

—it hurts, it all hurts—

Those feelings, from before 'Tachi-san, hadn't quite disappeared yet and...

(cycles, cycles, there are only cycles—of dizzy bumblebees and falling raindrops.)

**[A head turns]**

"Anyways, I have to go home, old pervert," Naruto said stiffly, not making eye contact with the aforementioned pervert, "I need some sleep so that I can...pass Kakashi's test tomorrow." A slight grimace melted from his stiff expression.

The Uzumaki boy couldn't see it with his own two—_very special_—eyes, but he could almost sense Jiraiya look at him in surprise.

"So you got Kakashi as your Jōnin sensei?"

Naruto gave him the stink eye. "What's it matter to you, pervert?"

**[The old man gives a strange grin]**

"I don't like that expression on you, pedophile-asshole," The boy with the melted bullion hair deadpanned. Instead of snapping back like one would expect though, Jiraiya's lecherous—or so it appeared—grin merely widened. _That,_ Naruto had to admit to himself, _I don't like either._

"Oh, nothing, nothing..."

"..."

"...It's just that...now that I know and all...oh, you probably wouldn't be interested."

_(Can't you see that I'm not as stupid as you think?)_

—the last rat there was is no longer within reach, so please take away your baited traps—

"Nope, I'm not really."

And with that, the tiny slip of a boy took off in a dead sprint towards his lonely little apartment, no small amount of Chakra coating the soles of his shoes and feet.

"Oi, brat! Get back here! You were _supposed_ to be interested, you stupid little kid!"

Of course the Toad Sennin chased right after him.

_Oh why is this life so stupidly cruel?_

**·**

**·**

**·**

Somehow, the now-mended seal didn't change a thing in Naruto's life. The nightmares (and partial day-mares) still haunted him—_screams, blood, so much blood dripping down tanned arms_—and his personality stayed the same.

_(I thought _**something**_ would change at least.)_

Well, perhaps the absence of **that** voice was something, but...it wasn't much. After all, the voice hadn't been loved, but it hadn't been feared either.

So really, nothing changed.

And that seemed to be an ironically accurate summary of his life (as per these last few years). Slowly change—slowly, slowly change...but in the end...

—"_No doubt the future is important, Naruto-chan, but don't you think that making said future is too?"—_

_(I've tried...really...really...)_

_But it must be hard to create a future when everyone seems to deny your right to a present._

**[He sighs and waits again]**

It was soothing though, because it seemed that compressed in everyone's core was despondency and that made him feel not-so-alone in the alones that usually accompanied him.

Early mornings felt like happiness, he would soon come to realize as he sat atop one of the supports that held up the bridge they'd been instructed to meet at. Early mornings held a crispness to them that seemed to sink into Naruto's skin and make him shudder and sigh. Early mornings were something that could never be hated—no, not by **him**—, because they spelled out the end of nightmares.

This, in the end, was enough.

The others hadn't arrived yet, but that was to be expected. The Uzumaki boy had arrived some thirty minutes earlier than the designated time, mostly because he'd had nothing better to do. He hadn't visited the Hyūga clan in a few days and his plants were already watered.

The fact that those were the two most prominent aspects in his life in terms of hobbies was kind of sad.

(Too sad, too bad, you're growing up too fast—)

Nevertheless, Naruto sat patiently, overlooking the glass-like water that remained undisturbed. His reflection stared back at him through the glass-like water—a petite, flaxen-haired boy with three slash-marks across his cheeks and blue eyes that almost seemed to match the water. The orange-jumpsuit-clad pre-Genin beamed brightly.

Slowly, patiently, he counted down the seconds. _One...two...three...four...five...six..._

Around the time he reached eighteen-hundred seconds, his two other—_expendable_—teammates arrived, figures of pink and blue. They noticed him almost immediately (who could miss such a colourful boy?), but while Sasuke went out of his way to ignore Naruto, Sakura merely glowered fiercely.

She glowered through could-be-pretty-pretty green eyes.

Now that he paid attention, what kind of green were they? Emerald, jade, viridian, sea foam...?

_(Not that I really care, mind you.)_

He just liked colours.

And emotions.

And hummingbirds and 'Tachi-san and the Hyūga clan and plants and love and moon cycles and jiji and what people were made of—

Maybe they saw or maybe they didn't, but Naruto couldn't stop clutching at the fabric of his jumpsuit, right over where his heart would be. Honestly, despite all his love, despite his nearly undying loyalty to Hinata and her family, despite _everything_...

**[A cringe]**

—_it's still not okay—_

His glances towards the taunting, ever-looming doors were becoming more and more frequent.

When their abysmal Jōnin sensei didn't arrive at the time he'd specified (which Naruto had quite honestly already predicted), the boy made of star-shine and darkness began to count down the seconds again. It was easy to pretend that he was still all alone, if he gazed only into the water and thought only of lovely numbers.

Sadly though, he could still _smell_ their stench and _hear_ their heavy breaths.

Naruto had never quite comprehended how _loud_ humans were in their very presences. That thought made him flinch.

_(Oh yeah. I'm not fully human.)_

He didn't care if he was only the container of the ninth bijuu—he would never consider himself a true human.

**[He hums to himself atop a greater height]**

A singer, he was not. Even the boy himself could contend to that, but there was that miniscule fact that hearing his own voice (no matter how out of tune it could be) was assuaging. Because it meant...it meant...

Well, frankly, it meant a lot of things, but the bottom line was that it appeased him.

However, it seemed that very few people shared this ideal, for as his humming filled the air—though barely louder than the rapid beating of a hummingbird's wing—, both his teammates' heads turned to direct annoyed expressions. From his peripheral vision the scowls were unmistakable, but now was a _relaxing_ time, not a fighting time.

But if they wanted to start something he wouldn't be a coward and stand down.

Apparently they recognized the fact that he wouldn't be shutting up anytime soon, and with that new knowledge set in her mind, Sakura stood up abruptly. Oh, she was going to be troublesome, wasn't she? Shikamaru would not appreciate him taking his line, but it seemed most apt at a time like this.

Not halting in his humming, Naruto's full head turned so he could stare at Sakura. It was...

Sakura froze and felt her bones became fragile ice shards as she gazed into those altogether _too_ blue eyes. It was becoming more and more apparent that there was something severely _wrong_ with those eyes.

—blue like the water, blue like the sky...—

Shifting eyes? _(I think not.)_

The pigment would change just slightly to make the blue resemble whatever blue was in the background; and if it hadn't been for the pupil and the cornea...

It just looked like he had two _holes_ in his head displaying what was behind him.

Without a word spoken, the pink-haired pre-Genin sat herself back down, the floorboards suddenly feeling surprisingly comfortable. Her eyes averted away from Naruto.

The boy smiled widely and continued on humming.

_(How annoying I must be.)_

**[A held back laugh]**

But, oh...it was too unfortunate to think of, but...

_(Even she recognizes my inhumanity.)_

Was it really so obvious?

The imaginary clock in his head resumed ticking down the seconds. It would be a long wait, no doubt, and some sort of entertainment was definitely in order. _Four-thousand-twenty-two, four-thousand-twenty-three, four-thousand-twenty-four..._

"Good morning, my cute potential-students!" The seemingly insane Jōnin called out as he approached them, looking exactly the same as he had the other day. Naruto's left eye began to twitch sporadically—could he even stomach training under such a...such a ridiculous Jōnin sensei?

Kakashi and Jiraiya would probably get along just fine. They were both head-cases anyway.

"If you haven't noticed, it's _the afternoon!_" The pink-haired could-be-demon shrieked, jumping up once again, but this time not in response to anything Naruto had done, which left him somewhat apathetic to the whole thing.

Kakashi made a deceptively innocent face (from what little face wasn't covered); as if he hadn't known he was late. "Oh, sorry, sorry. A pack of wild boars chased me half across the village, so I had to take the long route."

_What bullshit._

"We don't even have wild boars in Konoha," He muttered in a poisonous tone, "And it certainly shouldn't have taken you three hours to cross the village, even taking a longer way."

The Hatake looked up promptly at Naruto's words and Naruto saw the tell-tale moving of the fabric that covered Kakashi's face, signifying that he was smiling (which creeped out the Uzumaki boy more than a little). "Oh, hello there, Hyūga-san. I didn't think you'd know where to meet us, considering you abandoned us halfway through the conversation yesterday."

**[The Hatake mock pouts]**

"Jjji told me."

"Ohohoh, did you talk to the Hokage about me, _Hyūga-san?_"

Naruto shuddered, and, listening to the forceful exhortations of his mind to tune out the rest of whatever Kakashi would say, turned back to staring at the water.

"...Well, I can see you kids are going to be a talkative bunch. Now chop-chop; we have things to do and I can't have you children lazing around all day."

There was something about the (hypocritically) patronizing way that Kakashi spoke that made Naruto want to snap his neck. He _really_ did not like this man and his whole way of **being**.

Making a sort of grunting noise from the back of his throat, Naruto daintily hopped off the support he'd been sitting on, still lightly scowling. He landed with the softest thump that would've made any Genin jealous (maybe apart from Sasuke), but then again he wasn't really trying.

"I really despise latecomers." His voice was tinged with proverbial acid, but it made both Sakura and Sasuke flinch for entirely separate reasons. Sakura's was predictable.

Sasuke's was...

—"_I should inform you, Naruto-kun, that I really despite latecomers. Please do not become one."—_

...More or less understandable.

Although, he couldn't deny that it amused him greatly to see the youngest Uchiha doing his best to mentally reassure himself that it'd been nothing more than a flux and _no_ his teammate didn't have any close personal ties with Itachi (nor was he destined to become the same **monster**).

Oh, he didn't know how wrong he was.

And there was this itching feeling buried in his heart. It pricked and seemed to stab right at the most tender area of felt-like flesh. Because he wanted to—

_(I WANT TO SCREAM THE TRUTH AT YOU.)_

_(Maybe that'll wipe the insufferable expression off your face.)_

Though...somehow it still boiled down to...

—the blonde one is made of star-shine and darkness—

—the rosette one is made of tasty mochi and pointless fantasies—

—the Jōnin one is made of nostalgia and perverse ideology—

—but the white-water-lily-skinned one...he...—

Was it terrifying to think that he seemed to only be made of darkness?

_(I don't want us to have that commonality.)_

"Oh, you don't need to be so harsh, Hyūga-san!" The Hatake crooned, practically prancing (it could've been considered galumphing, but Kakashi was much too sylphlike for such a word) over to Naruto's side, "Ah, but if this is the only way you'll admit that you would rather spend more time with me, I'll take it. How tsundere of you, _Hyūga-san!_"

Now...this was...

Naruto's eyes bulged out as the—_berserk, outrageous, daft, addle headed, unbalanced_—gray-haired man pinched his cheeks ever-so slightly.

...

Oh, he _really_ wanted to snap his neck.

**[Flickers of blue Chakra dance over tightened fists]**

But before Naruto could react in any way (and Sakura was shooting him extremely wary looks), Kakashi pulled back and took off in a run, proudly yelling, "Now follow me, kiddies! We have things to do!"

...

_No. No. No._

This man was _not_ going to become his sensei. Even if he had to get sent back to the Academy for remedial lessons, no way in _hell_ was he letting this...maniac mentor him throughout his Genin years (or however long he'd be Genin for). Sabotage was the only answer in his brain, and dragging both Sasuke and Sakura down with him didn't faze him in the slightest.

But in no right mind would he allow that man to...

_(My cheeks still hurt.)_

**·**

**·**

**·**

The boy who wasn't really a boy (as he didn't believe he was fully human and therefore could not be a _boy_ so much as a _kit_) stared in mounting irritation as Kakashi produced two bells from the pocket of his flak jacket. He dangled them in front of his—supposedly—adorable, little, could-be students, wanting to catch their interest.

"These, potential-students-of-mine, are bells. You have until twelve to get them from me in order to pass. Come at me with all you've got—with the intent to kill, I mean."

_(Oh, this should be easier than I thought. To fail, that is.)_

The Haruno raised her arm. "But...um...Kakashi-sensei, couldn't we end up hurting you?"

—_silly, silly, delusional children living in made-up worlds—_

"You do realize we're only Genin, right?" Naruto sighed, slapping his palm against his forehead. Sakura's usually pale cheeks (with pink undertones) flushed an unattractive maroon, yet she said nothing, obviously too overcome by her embarrassment.

What would he do? In this type of situation, with these circumstances, Naruto had no intention to attack the older Konoha shinobi. Much less come at him with the _intent to kill_. But he couldn't just stand off by the sidelines, could he?

There was a hole being burned into the side of his head, and the Uzumaki could tell without even looking that Sasuke was staring at him intently. A provoking, challenging, _smug_ stare with a probably barely existent sneer.

_(Goddamn, it's always that one thing—)_

Well, now he _couldn't_ lose to Sasuke. There was just something in his pride that said: _it is because he is an Uchiha but not _**him**_._

**[The fox-boy exhales]**

Under a world of sound, it was growing colder.

—did his heart really feel so faint nowadays?—

Everyone was so eager for war and bloodshed and battle and—_they were all too ready to become pure hatred_. Which was sad, because no one seemed to get how easily the world could destroy them. Or the other way around.

Little did they know that sooner or later hatred would find _them_.

There was no need to seek it out.

"So do you understand? Do not hold back one ounce of strength; and if you somehow manage to take one of the bells..." Here, Kakashi grinned, and they could tell without even seeing his lips, "Then you pass!"

_Observe for a moment. Trickery lies _**everywhere**_._

"Wait! That means only two of us will pass!" Leave it to Sakura to state the obvious.

But while she spoke and Kakashi confirmed her statement, Naruto planned. He did not want to pass. He had no intention of passing. Harder things had been toughed out before, so waiting a few more months for a new team would be nothing. In fact, in the long run, it might benefit him more.

But here...on this team...with this nutcase sensei...with these teammates hat he absolutely _loathed_...

_No._

"I understand..." was all the tiny boy—who was somehow even smaller than the Haruno girl, although on par with her in weight—murmured before he leapt away, successfully concealing himself among the trees.

_(I can wait.)_

—_no you can't—_

**[The boy ignores his inner thoughts]**

His other two—_annoying, detrimental, pretty-much-useless_—teammates quickly followed his example, though they headed off in another direction. Of course the pinkette would choose to follow her _'Sasuke-kun'_ instead of thinking of an original and separate place to hide.

_This_ was the reason he had no wish to pass.

Instead of immediately attacking (since his..._teacher_ was still standing in plain sight in the middle of an open meadow), Naruto did his best to conceal his incredibly overwhelming Chakra before settling to think of a plan.

While he wouldn't allow himself to steal a bell and succeed, the challenge in Sasuke's stare still haunted him and made the ember of hatred in his chest combust into bigger flames. With this in mind, not fighting wasn't even something he'd consider.

Knocking down the littlest Uchiha's ego would be...satisfying.

And yet, something about this test seemed to bite at Naruto's internal organs. He was well aware that there was something he was missing—some sort of variable. But _what, what, what?_

_(My eyes don't quite yet see what you are trying to show me.)_

Still intently observing the immobile form of Kakashi from the cover of the veiling foliage, Naruto thoughts. In all his arsenal of jutsu, he did not thrive off subtlety. His attacks were meant to be straightforward and out in the open.

Unlike an Uchiha who could operate under the cloak of a genjutsu, Naruto did not follow this particularity. It wasn't his style.

_So I suppose I'll be the first one to attack,_ Naruto thought, already correctly assuming that Sasuke's pride would not allow him to make the first move and Sakura wouldn't want to 'outdo' her crush. Which was...laughable.

Although this would be tedious, for his store of jutsu was severely limited (running off a taijutsu regimen didn't leave much room for ninjutsu or genjutsu), but perhaps that could be his advantage. The Hatake might've known that he was majorly focussed on taijutsu—and how could he not, having been practically adopted by the Hyūga clan?—, but he most likely didn't know about the small amount of jutsu that Naruto had memorized.

—advance in secret—

—and never...never...never reveal **anything**—

Leaping down from his place in the higher branches of the tree—into visible sight no less—, Naruto ran through a few quick hand seals before inhaling deeply. Kakashi's eyes leisurely turned on him, but they widened significantly as...

"_Fuuton: Goukuuhou no jutsu!"_

**[Another deep breath]**

Kakashi barely had time to jump off to the side before a swirling sphere of air crashed into the ground where he'd once stood, blasting the area to smithereens. Wide eyes watched from hidden places as the Uzumaki boy took advantage of Kakashi's momentary surprise by flitting over to his side, Chakra-laden hands now at the ready.

His mind was already in Zen mode as the first strike was directed at his could-be (though he wouldn't _allow it_) sensei. The swings of his arms reflected every bit of practice he'd ever had and the experienced kicks of his legs held every drop of passion he possessed.

Everything in him escaped through his pores, and though the man made of nostalgia and perverse ideology countered each strike perfectly, it _captured_ the man's attention.

—this will hold you in time, among the screams and pain of could-be hits—

And though miniscule urges here and there screeched, _'Attack without conscience, without restraint or mind'_, Naruto fought internally as well to keep a clear head. Running on instinct would do no good, as he wouldn't be able to see beyond the present to attempt to predict future attacks.

At one point, as he successfully plugged the ulnar nerve with his Chakra causing the Hatake's wrist to freeze up, the cool fabric of the mask brushed against his overly sensitive ear.

"So you want to play with wind jutsu, Hyūga-san?"

**[Blue eyes bug out]**

A nearly toying smack was given to his arm, causing Naruto to twirl somewhat, though he sprung out of the way as the gray-haired man attempted to follow up with a round-house kick to the ribs. Skidding back a few feet from the momentum of his jump, Naruto stopped to catch his breath, feeling a cold swear on his forehead.

His muscles were close to beginning to ache, but none of that mattered as Kakashi deliberately massaged the tender part of his wrist with Chakra coated fingers before forming the first seal.

_(How was he able to...no one should know how...)_

It frightened him that Kakashi could so easily make his wrist useful again (though there was still some tenseness caused by the plugged tender spot).

**[Tensed muscles and a calm mind]**

From his budding analytical mind and the previous words that'd been whispered into his ear, Naruto was quick to counter as Kakashi yelled out, _"Fuuton: Shinkūgyoku no jutsu!"_

"_Fuuton: Shinkūha no jutsu!"_

The barrelling balls of air that Kakashi had exhaled were quickly cut away from the blade of wind that Naruto had breathed out. Though the attack required the maelstrom boy to spin his body, thereby missing the scene in its entirety, the lack of any wound on him or damage to the area around him spoke volumes.

Or obvious messages.

They were at opposite ends of the meadow now, and for some reason Naruto was under the impression that the insane man across from him was mocking him. Kakashi lightly fingered the bells that were still attached to his flax jacket, and although Naruto had no intention (originally) of taking a bell, his pride burned.

_(No. I don't need to rise to his teasing. I won't pass. I refuse.)_

—you're useless, you're nothing, you're pathetic—

_(It has nothing to do with my capabilities—I could do this fine.)_

—as if a demon would even be wanted on this team—

_(I'm not...no...I am, but...)_

—give up, give up, that's all you're good for—

_(THAT'S NOT TRUE.)_

Something boiled in his belly and the little pride he did have seemed to burn in rage. Naruto was not by nature a prideful creature—the product of growing up hated and _so, so alone_—, but he had some amount of dignity and...

Kakashi's taunting eyes locked with his and the older man rested his hands behind his head as if to say, _'Even if I do nothing at all, you're still too weak'_.

Without another thought—not another thought of uselessness or stung prides or sad lives—, Naruto lunged towards the man with the could-be-silver hair. It was reckless and unwise, yes, but it made the Uzumaki heir come _alive_ and suddenly fists meant _more_.

They meant honour and worth and the usual _'I will not die until you die first'_. But _oh_, they meant so much more.

Rational thought was giving way to...

—he could hear heavy laughs, but they didn't exist outside of thoughts—

Kakashi ducked and dodged and retaliated just as well, so although Naruto was not nearly as fast as the man, he did not back down. There could be something to be said about that, but amidst the flurry of punches he now aimed at Kakashi's head, it was rather hard to think of.

—heavier laughter—

His Chakra was rapidly becoming harder and harder to harness, and he could feel the taut skin stretched over his knuckles begin to burn. But even in such a condition, with such warning signs, the Uzumaki heir refused to listen to his brain's reasoning to, _'Calm down, slow down, take a break, catch a breath'_.

Because…

—was the blood still staining his thin, little fingers?—

Did his sensei notice the undercurrent of exhaustion that'd begun to implant itself into his body? Kakashi's sole eye twinkled, so perhaps he had. A string of curses escaped Naruto's cracked lips as the Hatake reverted back to jutsu, as he knew he couldn't neutralize them with his taijutsu alone. Ninjutsu began to tire him out even further (and wind jutsu were no easy task by any means).

His train of thought derailed and was sent careening.

Though…

—was the gore still rammed under his fingernails and between his teeth?—

"**That's it, child. Remember the moments and blend them with reality, child."**

Mid-strike, Naruto heard the _voice_ reverberate in his head and became nothing more than a stone human. The man he was sparing saw the opening, but also noticed his frightened, _frightened_, **frightened** blue eyes. In those eyes, fear—which _had_ existed before, but in undercurrents…beneath the surface of melancholy and slight apathy—moulded itself into something…

Something…

Beyond the usual…

—_he could see it now; the rotting flesh and torn apart bodies and the maggots that festered within and the all-too sticky blood that ran slower than water through the streets—_

Had…had _he_…?

In his mind, it was clear and it blurred his vision. He saw children screaming in pure terror from some unknown horror. There were mangled corpses that littered streets and forests and mountains (he was everywhere and anywhere inside his mind). But…not just the sights he saw…because…

**[A thin body begins to tremble]**

"…Hyūga-san?"

…There was…

_(I'm…I-I'm…)_

_(Scared.)_

_Keep it…_

_Keep it…_

—no—

—_no—_

**[Glazed eyes with dilated pupils]**

_Keep it…_

_(KEEP IT AWAY FROM ME.)_

"Naruto…?" Kakashi's voice was drenched in concern now as he noticed the quakes wracking Naruto's body. The boy hadn't moved from his position, arm still outstretched in his thrown punch. It was all _very_ unnerving and Kakashi did not like it _one bit._

**[The boy's lips move softly in unuttered words]**

"**Don't forget the havoc the prisoner wreaked to become imprisoned, child."**

More screams. Screams upon screams; and his skin was burning, aching, _boiling_—he wanted to tear the flesh from his body to see the quivering muscles beneath. _Pretty, pretty pink contractile tissue._

"**You'll never escape me, child. Those are vain hopes, child."**

Two pairs of confused eyes watched from the foliage. Sasuke—who'd been biding his time, waiting for the blonde idiot to somewhat tire out the Hatake—gazed on in immense perplexity. He'd almost been _impressed_ by the usuratonkachi before, as he'd never quite seen what the Uzumaki was capable of, but for him to suddenly freeze up…

He shot from the trees, landing gracefully and seamlessly. As he did so, his potential sensei moved to carry Naruto in a cradling position. The blue eyed boy was clearly still out of it…and there was something about the sheer anguish and fright in his usually very much innocent-looking blue irises that…

Sasuke didn't know what to make of the curdling feeling in his stomach.

Following her crush's actions, the rosette also abandoned her hiding place, coming to see what was going on. She didn't have any good feelings for the last Uzumaki, but it was undeniable that this abnormal behaviour from her…_teammate_ worried her, albeit in the smallest of small amounts.

"You two can either stay here or go home," Kakashi informed them before questions could be launched, "Though I doubt I will return anytime soon. Naruto needs to be brought to the Hokage."

—_but—_

The word slipped off the tip of Sasuke's tongue nearly immediately after the Hatake spoke, but the man Shushin'ed away before the rest of the sentence could become relevant.

"…Did we pass?" Was such an innocent, careful question, but after the scene they'd just seen…

Sasuke's glare could never be rivalled and the pink-haired girl flinched violently as it landed on her. The sentence she'd just spoken suddenly seemed like she'd personally insulted _him_. Though…

**[The boy looks away as he catches himself]**

_No._ It didn't matter. It didn't matter to him.

Naruto's welfare was not a concern of his.

_So what was this curdling feeling in his stomach?_

**·**

**·**

**·**

It itches.

It burns.

It tickles.

It's _something_.

These tickings—are they your heart? HA. That's funny. Because your heart is merely a crystal within the cavity between your ribs and it serves only to keep you alive.

Alive? Again, that could be funny, as _alive_ isn't exactly the most apt way to describe the current _everything_. Seeds and seeds of doubt have been planted, and they are now growing into baobabs. It's sad—it's sad—it's truly, truly sad.

But you are Uchiha Sasuke and the crystal within your chest cannot recognize such a thing.

\.../

_**A/N:**_** Bonjour. I wrote a good amount this time I think! Plus, I'm pretty happy with the way the story is going. I hope none of you don't think it's too weird or cliché…that's kind of what I'm trying to avoid (if I possibly can). The last part there, where it was written a bit differently than the rest of the story was, of course, more from Sasuke's perspective than anything, because Sasuke is soon going to become a much larger character in the story.**

**After all, this story revolves around Naruto and Itachi—of course sooner or later Sasuke is going to become important. But I want to make his character defined and have more of an impact. There's the view I've been showing of Sasuke so far, but that's Naruto's interpretation of him. Now I'm going to start showing Sasuke in his entirety.**

**Uh…as for the jutsu, the translations aren't too important, but here they are: **

**Fuuton: Goukuuhou no jutsu—Wind Style: Great Air Cannon Technique.**

**Fuuton: Shinkūgyoku no jutsu—Wind Style: Balls of Wind Technique.**

**Fuuton: Shinkūha no jutsu—Wind Style: Bullet Blades Technique.**

**I hope you liked this chapter and please review!**

**P.S. The thing about Sakura being made out of tasty mochi…that's sort of a reference to my best online friend's****(Boneswing'er)**** fic, **_**"breaks your jaws"**_**. She's actually a brilliant writer and her stories always make me feel inspired. Please go check her out if you can! **

**-Atom-**


	7. Chapter Five

_**A/N:**_** Kay...so, thank you very much for all the reviews! I honestly appreciate them so much! Also, again, sorry my updates are so weird and not-scheduled. I can't write when I'm not inspired, and my inspiration comes every few days or so. Anyway, this chapter was weird to write because of the transition. It goes from super emotional to...well...you'll see...**

/...\

_Chapter Five_

**Third Person POV:**

The floodlights could not cease to magnify, and they brought along nothing but pain. It tickled at ribs, as much as a feather-light touch that danced across internal organs and sensory nerves.

**[A wrinkled brow]**

Whistles echoed in darker caverns, where single sidesteps could change decision upon decision. That superfluous frown connected to neurons which sent electric waves to elicit several other reactions. The frown triggered a wince which triggered a twitch and so on and so forth.

**[A strangled whisper]**

Somewhere in the darkness...there was neither light nor a voice, but a sort of _tugging_ sensation that seemed to erupt from nothing. Pulling one way yet another, and never strong enough to move from the current location—_of what...nothing?_ It was hard to imagine not remaining eternally trapped in this bliss-less state.

"**But you are eternally trapped child, just...in something else."**

And as it turned out, everything was fleeting—for merely a moment in eternity.

Our feelings.

Our hearts.

Our natures.

All would eventually crumble and diminish to nothing, and memories would soon lie to waste as well. Lives would be forgotten, names would be lost in the winds...

And sooner...

When the briefest flickers of remembrance would begin to fade, so too should we vanish from existence, and even in time we shall no longer be recognizable.

If nothing else, it is sad that _(we will live and die in vain). _

For nature shall remain ignorant.

And space shall remain eternal.

But we are merely specks of matter that appear and disappear in nothing more than the blink of an eye.

"**Never forget that you are a single raindrop in a shower, child."**

_(How terrifying is it to be wiped from existence?)_

—for some, it is enough to want to become immortal—

**[Blue eyes snap open]**

"Kami, brat...you sure do get yourself into some shit, huh?"

**·**

**·**

**·**

It was the same cold room with the same steel doors and stiff cot that he was forced to lie on. His arms and legs had been strapped down to the cot, and no matter how much he struggled the straps would not loosen an inch.

_(How did I end up...)_

"Is it always like this for you, brat?" _That voice._

Twisting his head as best he could, Naruto's narrowed eyes landed on the white-haired shinobi he knew as Jiraiya. The older Konoha shinobi sat calmly on the floor with his back pressed up against the wall, not a chair in sight. While the man's tone was teasing, something about the panic in his usually relaxed eyes...

_(Is it strange...that not as he acts as seriously as I would prefer...I am even more worried?)_

Aren't we supposed to be alone?

We are always alone.

"What happened?" Naruto croaked, then grimaced at how feeble his voice sounded. Oh, how weak he must've appeared, fruitlessly struggling against his bindings, unable to budge so much a centimetre, with a soft and rasping voice.

How..._(pitiful)._

"You broke the seal again, brat," Jiraiya explained, playfully glaring at Naruto now—but again with those panicked eyes—, "All that work I went to—wasted on your stupidity! I wasn't even aware it was possible to break a level five seal in less than twenty-four hours!"

"Or...maybe your tenacity...is making you overlook how flawed your seals really are," Naruto grunted, turning his head away finally.

"Seriously, do you have any respect in you _at all_—"

The Uzumaki boy cut him off with, "So...what...what now? My seal's broken and..." _This_ time his croaked voice wasn't because of a lack of use.

The fear escalated in his very core as he remembered _their_ frightened eyes and odious words. The repugnant taste in his mouth strengthened and settled—_such a volatile beast. How disgraceful. How distasteful._

There was nothing more than loneliness. All the time. Every time. Loneliness and a cold, cold numbing to the heart—it stung, oh yes, it stung, but it was too difficult to feel it. And those fleeting feelings of happiness that were oh-so hard to come by...

_So...alone._

_(Wasn't that how the story started?)_

**[A cold sweat breaks out]**

No. _No. (NO!)_

_(they know—they know—and they'll hate...)_

They would destroy that which had somewhat innocence, or they would tarnish it until the innocence lay in ribbons across the ground. From fear escalated violence, because the world never could accept what it didn't understand—even if understanding was far simpler than the destruction of such a thing.

—tear apart, burn from the inside out, leave to hang in a world of vultures and sicklings...—

—"_Why does _**it**_ exist? I don't feel safe..."—_

—"_The Hokage should kill it."—_

—"_It'll lose control."—_

**[He holds back a sob]**

_(I'm sorry, Itachi. I lost control.)_

"Whoa, kid, calm down," Jiraiya said, holding his hands up as he took notice of Naruto's watery eyes, "Don't worry. You're not in any kind of trouble or anything."

"W-What did the council say?" The blonde-haired boy choked out, not taking the toad Sannin's words to heart.

**[A silence rings]**

"...Well, they deliberated and it was unanimously decided that—"

"DON'T LIE TO ME!" His blue eyes darkened to the shade of the cot he was bound to—an unfathomable navy as the darkest, unexplored oceans. Even as the shriek rushed past his chapped lips, his eyes remained the same, droplets of possible-tears clinging to his lashes.

**[Another silence, graver this time]**

Jiraiya sighed, "They weren't happy. The Civilian Council especially...it took the Hokage an hour to convince them that your execution wouldn't benefit the village."

"And the verdict?"

Naruto hadn't turned his head to look, glaring at the ceiling, but he could almost sense the ridiculous grin on Jiraiya's face. "Oh, nothing serious! I fought on your behalf, you know? So did Kakashi and that Hyūga. You have some powerful friends, brat."

He sent him a playful wink, but Naruto didn't care.

"...So what did—"

"Stop interrupting me, kid," Jiraiya snapped, now seemingly serious, "For someone who keeps getting these immense favours, you're remarkably ungracious. Sort of like that Uchiha kid. Do you know how much he pestered me when he found out where you were being held?"

"Sasuke was here?" _That_ made Naruto jerk in his binds. The _Uchiha_ had actually asked about him? What kind of twisted sort of reality _was_ this? Surely...

"No. Besides me and the Hokage, no one is allowed down here. But I haven't been here _all_ the time you were out of it, brat. I mean, it's been sixteen hours..."

_Sixteen hours?_

_(How did...why was I...?)_

And just as quickly as that thought entered his head did Naruto realize he had _no idea_ why he was in this current position. He'd been fighting Kakashi, that he remembered...and then...and then...not even the slightest flickering came to him. The last scene of him attempting to use a wind jutsu entered his brain and then, nothing.

But it was there, somewhere at the back of his head. The _reason_. Although...no. It was too precarious to think of digging further. After all...to be practically comatose for sixteen hours because of a _thought_...

_(A silly, silly thought.)_

—you should learn to think realistically—

_(But a thought never hurt anyone...right?)_

"...And that Uchiha brat just _wouldn't_ piss off. Is he even a friend of yours, brat? He didn't seem to care about your condition so much as the _conditions_ of your condition."

Naruto snapped back to focus as he heard that before growling, "I'm nothing like Sasuke-Pansy, asshole. He's a—"

"An angry, foolish boy. Just like how you're acting."

**[Naruto freezes]**

Angry? _Angry?_

_(But I am not...)_

To...dare to call him foolish...after everything he'd been through...Naruto wanted to snap this man's neck as badly as he wanted to for Kakashi. There was _nothing_ remotely imprudent about him, and to even _suggest_ such a thing was. Had Itachi been there, he might've even released a hard chuckle; Naruto mentally nodded to this.

But...

Would he...?

—"_Never become blind, Naruto-kun. So often we do and lose sight of what is important in the world."—_

But...no...Itachi would side with him. It was ridiculous to think otherwise.

—"_I can tolerate you, Naruto-kun, because you are different than everyone else. Your eyes see more."—_

_Oh God._

He had been acting foolishly, hadn't he? To Jiraiya. To Kakashi. His stupid, stubborn thoughts...and actions...those were utterly deplorable now that he thought back. What would 'Tachi-san say to his current behaviour? He was...he was acting like...

—you are blinding yourself, just as the hateful villagers have—

_(But I am not angry...despite all that...)_

_(I am...)_

_I am..._

"Sad," He whispered, and the revelation struck him in the chest like a javelin. All those crumpled emotions in his bruised and frozen heart, and now he wanted to...

Above being a shinobi.

Above being a Jinchūriki.

_He was just a twelve year old boy._

_(I feel like I'm floating away.)_

And perhaps Jiraiya noticed this, because he peeled himself from the floor and took a few strides before he was standing—and _towering_—over the Uzumaki boy. Those teardrops that had collected on his lashes dripped off now, staining his tanned face with salty lines. A single hand was pushed into Naruto's hair—that spark of fondness was back in Jiraiya's eye, but this time it was also clouded by melancholy.

They were dark eyes that held mysteries and enigmas...with broken down regrets and miseries that such an optimistic man should never have to hold. They seared and burned into Naruto's own eyes while he never comprehended the reasons to those sad, fond eyes.

_I'm sorry,_ his eyes seemed to say, _I've done something terribly unforgivable to you._

_(It has become...difficult, to think of reasons that life is still enough.)_

"I want to float away," Naruto sobbed, as lightly as the wind caressing a leaf and no louder than the gentle flight of a hummingbird.

"Naruto..."

Who could blame him in the end? Tied up and strung up by injustice, and despite _working_ for everything he'd earned, no one seemed to think that he deserved it. So who could fault this sweet boy who held the utmost rage in his core that _did not belong to him? _Who could fault him for not wanting life?

There was Hinata and the Hyūga clan and Jiraiya and Sarutobi-jiji and Kakashi, but somehow...in his heart it never quite fixed anything, and...

Everything hurts, whether we want it to or not.

_(If I could choose to die...I don't know if I'd...)_

His tongue tasted the salty tears that dribbled down his cheeks and over those accursed scars that pointed him out—how could he scrub his skin enough to finally be fresh and _scar-less...?_

"'Tachi-san..." The boy sobbed, "He's gone and i-it's not..."

—it's not the same, you mean to say—

_Have you just realized this now?_

**·**

**·**

**·**

It's always the same and it never changes. Constantly spinning and spinning, because it's hard to grab onto ends.

When they look at you with faces that have seen so many sights more ghastly than you, but yet their eyes speak words at the sight of your—_disgusting, horrid, lying, forgetful, pathetic_—face, it...it's always the same and it never changes.

And when it does, it doesn't matter.

_What kinds of things have you seen, my friend?_

Should I tell you a confession?

It's hard to come back, please know this. And as much as I wanted to say that_—(it was your fault, your fault, your fault)—_it really wasn't...

In light of many things, I became selfish. I was hungry for many things, even if I deserved nothing. So I'd get caught on caverns and crevices and cliff edges, because the concept of self-preservation never...never really cemented itself into my brain.

It should be said that, yes, I am terrified of sewing back up my unravelled heart, because the threads keep getting tangled. Would they laugh at my clumsily made heart? I couldn't take the chance so...

When the threads would snag on lovely eyes or get caught around long, delicate kind fingers, I'd quickly snip them with all-too sharp scissors. Later on, my gaze would linger on them...frustrated, as the scissors sometimes wouldn't snip.

So I'd take my heart within my all-too tanned hands and clench my thin fingers until it silenced itself. But my greedy, greedy heart was still hungry in its silence. So I could not blame you for having one of the pale strings attach itself to you unknowingly.

_Do you understand, my friend?_

My 'Tachi-san?

You see, my heart was never a bruised, bumpy lump of flesh. It was just a bunch of _tangled strings._

_And you're pulling the string too far._

**·**

**·**

**·**

"So, basically, I'm stuck with you until they trust me not to go off the deep end again?" Naruto summarized, laying his blue eyes on the grinning Jiraiya who only nodded in response. Naruto massaged his wrist carefully as it was still tender.

Oh well. There wasn't really much he could do. Besides, after having practically cried himself to exhaustion in front of the toad Sannin, he wasn't going to further embarrass himself by pulling a temper tantrum. He needed to keep _some_ of his dignity.

What was left of it.

However...it was hard to object to Jiraiya's presence. Maybe it was the emotional insight that Naruto had just provided the old man or maybe it was the strange fondness Jiraiya seemed to have for him.

But...no...it was more than that...

_(Why do your eyes speak to me so? What...have you done?)_

"I guess that's fine then," Naruto mumbled, following the older shinobi out of the Hokage's tower, down the winding staircase that lead to the front doors.

"It _should_ be, brat. It was me or supervised confinement—take your pick."

"On second thought, I'm liking the idea of imprisonment more, so if you'll excuse me—"

"DON'T YOU DARE, BRAT!"

**[A flickering smile]**

_(Perhaps...I can deal with such an outrageous old man.)_

—but still—

The old man looked down on him with eyes that glimmered with something that looked like _love_, whatever it was. And this...Naruto could not comprehend, but it made his chest constrict and made it fucking _hard_ to breathe.

**[The smile slips, barely a fraction]**

_(Who are you to me, Jiraiya?)_

They eventually left the tower, feet scraping across the dusty pathways as they made their way back to Naruto's apartment—Jiraiya would also be living with him after all, since Naruto couldn't be trusted on his own. The thought of that made Naruto's stomach twist; to have to show someone his quiet shame of an apartment?

How could he...?

As they passed through town, the predictable glares soon landed their marks and burned through orange jumpsuits. The boy with the stunning blue eyes fell silent, words escaping him at the moment. Jiraiya saw the eyes—_heard the voices_—and of course, he must've **known**.

Was it pathetic that even all these years later, he still...he still couldn't...

—their eyes, so hateful and not-blood stained—

He still felt like a child and tried to push back the shame of wanting to grab onto Jiraiya's kimono-top and merely _hold it._

"Ne, ne, Jiraiya..." He spoke, feeling the words roll off his tongue clumsily. The man's eyes drifted down to him and he offered the tiniest of smirks to Naruto.

"Heh. That's the first time you've used my name. Yes?"

_(I am not angry. I have never been angry.)_

"Did you...did you even know Itachi?"

_(Cover-ups merely, you must understand.)_

"...Ah...in my younger years, I might've. Only when he was but a child though. I mean, I left after..." The older man trailed off, ever-so gently that the words seemed to lift up and drift into the atmosphere.

_(Because we are all sad, don't you see? Even me.)_

"What was he like? Even then?"

_(Maybe I am not just made of star-shine and darkness...)_

"Brilliant, of course, but that was to be expected of the Uchiha heir. I didn't really know him well, but he was awfully quiet for a kid. And his eyes...they were..."

_(My heart just hurts, and feels so, so heavy.)_

"His eyes?"

"Well, they were like yours, kid, and somehow, I don't think anyone else ever knew. I don't even think _I_ knew."

—it's possible that, even revered and surrounded by _everyone_, one can still feel like the loneliest being on the planet—

_After all...the worst part is knowing that you're not alone—knowing that you're never alone and you should be oh-so lucky for it—, but still feeling utterly, utterly isolated and lost._

—"'_Tachi-san...why are you so lonely?"—_

—"_I'm not lonely, Naruto-kun. Not with you around."—_

_(Where those just hollow words or did you really speak your heart?)_

_(Perhaps it was all just a pipe dream of mine.)_

Impossible.

"I really still miss him," The Genin boy whispered, finally giving into his urges and grabbing hold of Jiraiya's clothing, "I don't mean to be sentimental, but..." His eyes widened as Jiraiya placed his warm hand over Naruto's tiny one.

"We all miss someone or more, kid. But building bonds maintains that risk."

Jiraiya gazed down at the child, melancholy swirling in his withering, weary heart. If only Minato could see him now...a foolish old man who'd made one too many mistakes. How harsh would his gaze be if he could stare down from the Heavens? Jiraiya was not tempted to look.

_Forgive me, Minato. I will make up as best I can, but forgive me..._

"One day I'll see him again," Naruto suddenly proclaimed with renewed vigour, eyes suddenly shifting to the shade of the clear, cloudless, blue sky.

_Minato...forgive me for abandoning him. How could such an old man make such foolish mistakes?_

"You will, Naruto. I'm sure he feels the same as well."

**·**

**·**

**·**

Whatever Jiraiya had expected, it certainly hadn't been this.

His shell-shocked eyes trailed over the barely furnished apartment, taking note of the numerous plants. The walls were thin, and he was sure that if he pressed his ear up against it, he'd be able to perfectly hear the occupants of the room over. The paint was pealing—_was there even insulation?_

It had three rooms (if the incredibly cramped bathroom could even be called a _room_), with a bed, a chair, a table, a fridge, a few cabinets, a lamp, and plants upon plants. The very necessities and nothing more.

_(This is...)_

Naruto stood by the door, feeling his throat tighten as Jiraiya's eyes skimmed each and every object in his apartment. Blood collected under his cheekbones and lit them on fire—taking useful blood from other areas.

—_please don't criticize me...please don't...—_

_(It really...I didn't ever want anyone else here.)_

The older man's mouth opened once, but no words found their way out. Trying to look more, he quietly walked over to the cabinets and opened them.

Boxes of ramen were stuffed at the back and nothing else. He felt his heart constrict and the blood thump in his ears rhythmically. In the fridge there was only a carton of milk, some fruit, and a container of yogurt. It was...barely a couple days worth of food.

"...How long does this food last you?" Jiraiya asked tonelessly, never taking his eyes off the obviously already opened container of flavourless yogurt. Naruto gave him an odd look

"About a week or so, sometimes more. Why?"

Jiraiya slammed the fridge door closed with more force than necessary, his heart clenching painfully so. Naruto protested, rushing over to see if the refrigerator was damaged and the old man got a glimpse of his thin, tiny fingers. Thin, tiny fingers attached to a thin, tiny body that _somehow_ still functioned without proper nourishment.

—_how is this...I didn't...—_

_I didn't..._

"I didn't _know_."

Naruto glanced up at Jiraiya's whisper, confusion alight in his blue eyes that resembled crystal lakes that remained motionless. The shinobi's face was contorted in desolation, because he could barely believe that...that of _all_ people, it was _Minato's_ son who...

"Jiraiya...?" The same boy questioned, still looking confused and...embarrassed? Seeing this, Jiraiya lightly grabbed the boy's hand, holding it close to his chest. It was warm to the touch, but entirely so breakable. The fingers flexed in his grip.

When had he become such a failure that even someone like Uchiha Itachi could...somehow save this boy? When he couldn't...because he had...

_Minato...I'll never be able to show you my face, not even after death. I will never be able to make up the years..._

_(And he somehow still survived...)_

Who knew these things could occur and break apart lives whilst opening others? Decisions seemed to be the thing that lead to faults, rarely victories. But, in all honesty, it was just too heart-breaking to think of, or to imagine a small boy living in a world made of glass shards and loveless days, without a single reason in the world to breathe or see or hear or _be_.

"Please forgive me," The older man murmured in a voice that spoke of a billion regrets and a life that'd never met up to expectations (_partly because of his own choices and mistakes_).

_We will one day leave and turn to dust._

—_did you ever think that this would be the reality you would get?—_

"I don't understand, Jiraiya..."

"Please sit down, Naruto, and let me tell you a story..."

_(This is my reality and please, God, give me the strength to change it.)_

—we are shinobi; we are not supposed to believe in stories of a higher force—

_But just this once...I suppose it's fine..._

**·**

**·**

**·**

Miles away, somewhere in a vast land of rolling hills and sparse dry land, bloody gazes surveyed impassively.

"Itachi-san, we have our orders. We're supposed to there in three days," The man coloured by blue skin and grey eyes spoke rationally.

You took a breath, "...In a minute, Kisame. No more than a minute."

Perchance...times, you'll feel. Before this is said and done—the outcomes...

What will you choose? There are options and dreams and notions and ideas.

You took one to let the rest rot (but maybe in an alternate world they thrived off your passion and dedication)—does it sound like it hurt? Because it probably did.

**[You look at your hands]**

What has happened?

What has become?

What have you become?

The world was left in shattered mirrors and splattered blood, and it decorated the silent spots and undermined the bright ones. Had you been the God, what would you have changed? These...weaklings (in the mind or body?).

You've become the very thing you despised so much.

_How could this have become._

The penultimate decision may have been the best, but you took the first.

_(Where are you, Naruto-kun?)_

_(You and Sasuke are still too far for me.)_

"I...am ready, Kisame. We should depart now."

"Of course, Itachi-san. There's no rush for us to reach Nami no Kuni."

_Nami no Kuni..._

_(Still too out of reach.)_

**·**

**·**

**·**

Running, running—_don't think, just keep moving, a shinobi must be able to think on his feet and make snap decisions at the drop of a hat. Don't look back, just run and run and run._

—to the left—

As that occurred to him, he dived to the side, somersaulting once before hiding behind a tree. His breathing was even and ready, for he had to be calm during this operation. A single tense muscle or ragged intake of air could spell out _failure_—and such a word was not in Naruto's veritable vocabulary.

A crackling in Naruto's ear had him at attention. "Idiot, are you in position?" The voice was tinged with annoyance, but Naruto let it slide as best he could (as while he was trying to stop being a prissy little bitch—like Jiraiya had pointed out the other day).

"Yes, Uchiha-Pansy. You're clear to move in."

There was a sharp clicking of teeth on the other end of the microphone before the Uzumaki heard the bushes rustle a few feet away. A heartbeat later Naruto was off, sprinting through the trees, an orange shape within his sight.

The dark hair of the youngest Uchiha emerged from the nearby foliage and Naruto decided to hurry this along by reaching into his pocket to grab a kunai.

**[Twin onyx eyes widen]**

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING—"

Without paying any attention to the livid Uchiha, Naruto casually launched the kunai, never intending for it to hit the moving object. Said object gave a terrified shriek at the sleek metal before scurrying right to where Sasuke sat, crouched. The blunt metal instrument buried itself harmlessly into the soft soil, exactly three centimetres from the orange object.

Sasuke, not one to overlook an opportunity, immediately pounced, white hands securing around the small, fluffy, orange body.

"Mission accomplished," Naruto spoke into the headpiece as the orange cat proceeded to attempt to maul Sasuke's face.

"UZUMAKI. GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE!"

The headset crackled. "...Is Uchiha-Youngster angry with you?" Kakashi's voice asked, with a twinge of amusement. Naruto glanced over to where Sasuke was holding the cat as far from his face as possible, wincing every time the cat's claws caught onto his arms. The youngest Uchiha scowled deeply over at Naruto.

"...I think so, Kakashi-sensei. That or he's about to shit himself."

"UZUMAKI!"

"That was crass, Hyūga-Naruto; maybe you should apologize to Uchiha-Youngster."

"IDIOT, GET THE FUCK OVER HERE!"

"I don't know, Kakashi-sensei. He seems a little ticked at the moment. Best to leave him alone."

"IF YOU DON'T GET OVER HERE, I'M KILLING THIS MANGY—"

"Oh, hang on, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto murmured into the microphone, making his way to the wrathful preteen, "I think Sasuke-Pansy might actually do something stupid."

Reaching the Uchiha—who looked about ready to pull out a kunai and systematically pry off each of the cat's claws—, Naruto ripped the orange feline from his grasp. For a split second the cat stiffened in his arms before relaxing and beginning to purr. Content with the current state of things, Naruto grinned up at the taller boy.

"Thanks for being such a good sport, Sasuke," Naruto said, laying the sarcasm on thick. Although still seeming relatively cheerful. Sasuke growled.

"Shut it, Uzumaki. That _creature_ only likes you because it relates to you," He retorted scathingly, "You're both _pests_."

"Whatever you say, Sasuke-Pansy," The Uzumaki boy said flippantly, not in the least bit affected by the older boy's words (after all, this was something of a daily occurrence between them), "Anything that gets you through the night. I know you secretly love me."

Sasuke's face went deadpan, but the fire remained in his light-less eyes much to Naruto's enjoyment. "You need to get rid of these stupid ideas of yours, Uzumaki."

"Love you too, Sasu-cakes."

"Uzuma—"

A figure broke through the trees, one much taller than the two Genin boys. Upon its face was a leaden-coloured mask covering the ridiculous grin that they could _all_ plainly see. Beside the figure stood another figure, who was significantly smaller in comparison and with a dramatically different expression.

**[A fierce glower is framed by rose hair]**

"Good job, boys," Kakashi congratulated them, giving a gratifying thumbs up, "Now, come on. We've got to return Tora to the Daimyo's wife."

"I dunno, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto pouted, glancing down to the puffy feline in his arms, "He's so cute! Can't we just keep him? He doesn't even like his owner!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a body larger than any of the ones currently standing in the forest dropped from one of the trees, wooden sandals clacking noisily against the soft ground. The new man's ever-present grin seemed to bright up everything, just as Naruto's could.

_Were they somehow related?_

"Aha!" Jiraiya cried, pointing a single finger between Naruto and Sasuke, "You two are a major inspiration for my work, I hope you know! And congratulations on the teamwork, brat one and brat two!"

"Does he always do this?" Sasuke asked Naruto critically before muttering something under his breath about _perverted-Sannin-who-don't-live-up-to-expectations._

"Pretty much. Don't know how I got stuck with him."

**[A waggled finger and a mischievous giggle]**

"It's because you're _insane_, Naru-chan," Jiraiya sing-songed, tracing one of the red lines under his eyes, "And I'm the only one fit to watch over you, for I am the mighty Jiraiya of the toads!"

"I can't believe you trained my hero," Naruto deadpanned, referring to the fourth Hokage.

"Well I damn well did, brat, and look at how famous he is now. Wanna know how he got to be so fantastic? _Me._ So don't challenge my miracle working, kid."

Without responding to his probably-guardian and potential-mentor, Naruto turned around and headed in the direction o the village, the deadpan expression still set on his face. In his arms, Tora purred louder and nuzzled his warm face against Naruto's neck. Naruto petted his fuzzy fur gently, muttering about how he wanted to keep him.

"By the way, Jiraiya, don't put me in any of your _smut_ books with Uzumaki. I might throw up."

"Duly noted, Uchiha-brat. Don't worry though, I might just make Naruto into a girl—I can see the perfect plot already..."

"I'm not a girl, you pedophile! And don't you dare write me having sex with Sasuke-Pansy, even my girl-self!"

While Sasuke and Jiraiya argued in the background (with Jiraiya quite loudly and lewdly describing the situations he'd put Sasuke and _Naruko_ into—which, admittedly, also made Naruto blush), the odd group of sorts made their way to the Hokage's tower, bypassing curious and somewhat horrified villagers.

Well, of course they'd be horrified to see their precious Uchiha and magnificent Jiraiya around the _demon_ brat.

_(The story never changes, huh?)_

"**Enough with your self-pity, child. You irritate me."**

**[An eye twitch]**

_I really don't like your voice in my head,_ Naruto thought spitefully. The nightmares were bad enough without Kyūbi's constant annoying voice bouncing around in his mindscape. Of course, the irksome demon fox was too high and mighty to consider keeping his comments to himself, so Naruto would just have to make do.

They all walked together with a strange camaraderie—Sakura, moody and pouty; Kakashi, ever-smiling and making perverted comments; Sasuke, arguing his head off with the Sannin of the group; and Jiraiya, making his constant crude dialogue.

"...And then she'll grab Sasuke's head and gently move it closer to her hot—"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, JIRAIYA!"

**[He blushes even deeper]**

"Hey, pedophile, aren't we a little...I don't know, _under-aged_ for you to be writing this stuff about us?"

"Obviously I'll change your ages in the novel. Uchiha-brat's too much of a prepubescent girl anyway."

_(I feel like I'm intruding...somehow.)_

—"_You can form bonds, Naruto-chan. With other people too."—_

_(I...know that.)_

Did he?

The trees were growing older and it was new water that would travel down the streams and rain from the skies, but he still felt like the same lost boy, trapped in numbness.

_(Am I really?)_

**·**

**·**

**·**

"They actually make a good team, sensei!"

"I'm sure they do, Jiraiya, but as you can see, I'm trying to give them a new D-rank mission—"

"No! None of that sissy shit! They've done enough of those. Give them a real mission, sensei!"

"Pedophile, are you sure that's a good—"

"Please don't argue with him, Hyūga-Naruto. You might be under watch right now because they think you're insane, but he _definitely_ is."

"...Right, Kakashi-sensei. Understood."

"So, what do you say, Sarutobi-sensei? Got anything?"

"...Are you _sure_, Jiraiya?"

"Hokage-sama, they've only _just_ become Genin—"

"Iruka, it's fine. Alright, Jiraiya—I'll place my faith in you. However, you know you're obligated to go with them, right?"

"...Sensei, I still have a spy network to maintain, and Naruto-brat's been really good these past few days—"

"At least check up on them every so often."

"...Fine. Deal, Sarutobi-sensei."

"And are _you_ three ready?"

"Of course, jiji!"

"Hn."

"...Y-Yes, Hokage-sama."

"Excellent, and you're in luck. I have the perfect C-rank for you four..._and Jiraiya_. Here's the assignment, Kakashi."

"...Nami no Kuni, Hokage-sama?"

"Correct. Now I suggest you all go pack up. You leave tomorrow."

—_Nami no Kuni—_

—_did you ever learn how twisted the fates are?—_

**·**

**·**

**·**

**[OMAKE]—**_Jiraiya's Newest Novel_

Icha Icha Rivals

_[...]_

"You like this, don't you, Naruko?" The raven-haired man teased, dragging his tongue up the inside of her thigh, eyes never leaving the blurry eyes of his lover. His blonde-haired lover moaned, eyelashes fluttering ever-so slightly, her eyelids never fully sliding shut.

"...Mmf...Sasu..._Sasuke_..."

Sasuke reached up to cup her breast, the tanned flesh almost not fitting completely in his large hand. His thumb ghosted over a pert nipple, eliciting another throaty moan from the aroused woman in front of him.

"So excited already...and we've barely even begun..." He murmured, nudging his nose against the soaked fabric of her white lace panties. Naruko responded with only an increase in her already heavy breathing, sliding her hands down her sides to grab Sasuke's hair and gently move his head closer to her hot womanhood.

"Sasuke...Sasuke-kun, please!" She panted, thin fingers tangling in sweat-matted, black hair, "It _hurts_."

"But in a good way, right?" As if to ease her tension a little, Sasuke hooked one of his fingers on the edge of her panties, swiftly pulling them down her supple legs. As soon as the white lace hit the carpeted floor, the elegant thighs wrapped around his neck, petite feet digging into his spine.

"It won't be a good hurt for _you_ if you don't hurry up, Sasuke!" The woman growled, her blue eyes flashing dangerously. The lean-bodied man chuckled, positively _pleased_ with the response his lover had given him. Obeying her wishes, one of his hands came up to cup the warm and wet flesh.

"Now _there's_ the Naruko I know," He snarled, and he felt her twitch beneath him. "Now let's get started, shall we?"

"_SASUKE!"_

_[...]_

\.../

_**A/N:**_** Oh my god, it's uncomfortable to write even the beginnings of a lemon. Jeez. It will be awhile before I do **_**that**_** again. ANYWAY, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! As you can tell, it kind of shifted from being totally emotional to comedic, which was a weird transition to make. It took awhile to write. Also, sometimes you really need to look at the names they use to determine who is speaking to who. Everyone has a particular way of speaking.**

**This still ItaNaru, regardless of the omake. That was just a joke. I'm definitely not writing SasuNaru for this—I don't even think it'll even be one-sided for Sasuke. I really need to develop his character, or at least go more into depth. I had him screaming a lot this chapter, huh? My reasoning behind this is just that Jiraiya and Naruto elicit reactions from him that no one else can. It's kind of unique. I like it.**

**I took liberties on Naruto's apartment, by the by. It's not really like that in canon, but I'm going all melodramatic on everyone. :]**

**-Atom-**


	8. Chapter Six

_**A/N:**_** Oh, I've neglected this story for a while. It wasn't because I was busy though—I had no inspiration. However, I really like this chapter and I hope you will too once you read it or something. I know what basically is happening in the next little while (since I sort of usually wing it on multi-chapter fics for a bit), so I have it all planned out to be written. Anyway...**

/...\

_Chapter Six_

**Third Person POV:**

_(Maybe, once I thought of how I loathed the setting suns...)_

_(But perhaps it locked itself away behind metal bars.)_

For there was a salvation for all, but his had come and gone so rapidly that not even footprints had been left behind. So maybe the fates were twisted by favouring the lives of villains above the lives of the ones who tried to live in peace. Because bedlam was probably addictive to sinister deities, even if they _could quit whenever._

Beyond most people, there were children like Naruto and Sasuke who understood this. However, what could be done? They could fight and fight to make their own destiny—to carve out their own paths—, but if things could lead them unwillingly to steep cliffs, what could they hang onto?

**[A soft sigh]**

Maybe they just tried too hard...in spite of everything else.

_(Once upon a time, I saw nothing and felt even less.)_

—can you emerge from that and become something new?—

Somehow, he wanted to believe that it could be true, but all he could see was the cliff in front of him that urged him to forget his worries and jump. And even though he did not know what lay beyond the cliff—what horrors might've existed or a could-be death—, the spidery words crawled into his ears.

And he jumped.

**·**

**·**

**·**

By morning's peak, they were waiting for him at the village entrance. Of course, Jiraiya and Naruto had arrived together—as Jiraiya was currently living in the small apartment that Naruto called home, bunking on his ratty couch (although he complained about it often and was also currently house hunting)—, bickering even in the wee hours of the morning.

"If you don't want me to get up _crabby_," Naruto seethed, not even looking at the giant man beside him, "Then _don't keep me up all night_ reading me your piece of shit _novels_!"

**[A shameless grin]**

"You need to expand your reading tastes," The older man answered simply, "And my novels are high-class literature."

"You're so full of it."

As usual, Kakashi was giggling madly at their bantering, not even trying to hide the absolute mirth in his eyes. Sasuke could only grimace as the Sannin and his rival approached, not particularly _fond_ of either despite his strange relationship with both. Sakura only sighed in exasperation, trying to remind herself that at least she had Sasuke on her team.

And the last member of their committee waited just a few feet from the others, a slight scowl on his face.

"Those two are supposed to keep me safe?" He criticized, glasses resting low on his nose, "A midget and an oaf? For me—Tazuna, the super expert bridge builder?"

—sometimes, people say the strangest things—

Even from the distance, Naruto could hear the slightly horrified and critical voice, but it did not bother him on any level. It was admittedly...a different sort of thing—to be looked down on because of his appearance rather than the _thing_ within him. Quite refreshing actually.

"**Don't get used to it, child."**

Naruto grit his teeth. He wouldn't. _He really wouldn't._

However, even as Naruto didn't particularly care about the comment that came from the old man's mouth, Jiraiya and—_surprisingly_—Sasuke were less than impressed. A loud snort left the Toad Summoner and Sasuke just scowled deeply, glaring up at Tazuna.

"I do hope you know that 'oaf' is Jiraiya of the Sannin," The Uchiha said snidely, showing just how idiotic he found the bridge builder. In half a second, Tazuna had taken a step back and widened his eyes impossibly so.

Without wanting to, the old man stuttered before exclaiming, "J-Jiraiya-sama? But I...I can't afford someone of that calibre!"

**[A smug smirk from the Sannin]**

Before he had time to comment, Naruto glared up at him. "Don't get cocky, pedophile." The remark did the trick and the smirk instantly melted off, a sour look taking its place.

"I told you to stop calling me that, brat!"

"And I don't remember agreeing that I would."

_(We are like this because it's all we know how to be.)_

In ways, it still horrified Naruto's other teammates just how casually Jiraiya acted around the Uzumaki. It was something they'd not only never seen before but never anticipated; their basis being the level of treatment the maelstrom boy usually got from adults—shinobi or civilian.

How could they have predicted this?

_They hadn't._

_(To be fair, neither did I.)_

Ignorance had rested on all their shoulders, but it had never been blissful in the slightest. Naruto's spine still held the years of resentment that didn't know whether to burst forth or melt away into the restless fires that blazed in his core. He could guide them, but for all he cared...

—so maybe once the sun had been an enemy—

_(And maybe once I befriended someone called Death who actually preferred Peace.)_

Was it unfair that all their thoughts were warped because of the fates that loomed over their fragile husks? Sick children were in love with sicker children while some thrived off death and abhorred life. They had ideals that had become a part of their bone marrow and were impossible to extract.

But what could they do while nameless deities cackled in delight?

As the two unlikely possible-friends bickered, Tazuna contemplated how best to eat his words, aware of how stupid his comment had been. The little raven Uchiha was still regarding him with that infuriatingly disapproving scowl—as if it _really_ mattered to him whether Tazuna had made a social faux pas or not. For all he could do in his minor horror and embarrassment, the bridge-builder grunted in the child's direction.

With that grunt of dismissal, Sasuke scrunched his nose and looked away, his eyes automatically landing on the fighting duo not but a few feet away from him.

**[Softening eyes]**

Something in that expression made Tazuna pause—ever-so slightly—, and he allowed himself to observe the strange, moody boy known as Uchiha Sasuke from the corner of his eye in his peripheral vision. This odd sort of boy who spoke as if he were years older and somehow still his own age.

What was it that was flickering in Sasuke's eyes?

Tazuna couldn't be sure, because the boy's eyes were too dark and the emotion swam in those dark pools silently—but he somehow _knew_ what that flickering was, without really knowing. For he remembered it from a time when he was nothing more than a snot-nosed brat, when making friends seemed to be easy for everyone except _him_.

But...why did it swim so naturally?

_(Do you remember that all our eyes see different things?)_

—you were born in a daydream and this wasn't what you wanted, was it?—

Did it frighten him? To see those strange but usual sentiments resting so easily in the eyes of someone so young...? Those coal eyes were tracked on the other two shinobi so near to him, and if his eyes had hands...

_Possessiveness is full of hate and love in ways._

It could be said that Naruto noticed it as well. With his cloudless blue eyes that saw more than they should've, it was easy to spot the saddening longing in the little Uchiha's eyes. And it made him slightly sick to think it, but he did not hold it against Sasuke. There were conspiracies that lay in the walls, and sadly some children were all too aware...

Aware of the fact that there were things too unfortunate to change.

Understanding this, Naruto sighed, glancing up at his newest mentor. Perhaps Jiraiya had noticed as well, but his expression was the smoothness of tranquility that could only come from blissful ignorance. But, there was something...that tiny something...

_(What am I missing?)_

_(And what is it that your eyes long for, Sasuke?)_

Maybe he didn't want to know.

**·**

**·**

**·**

They walked some distance in silence, each immersed in their own thoughts. It might've been felt as uncomfortable at points, when they became aware of similarly beating hearts around them, but for the most part none of them knew how to deal with the others.

Even when they pretended like they did.

—"_So you see, I'm your godfather."—_

—"_I really admire you, Sasuke-kun..."—_

—"_Oh, you kiddies are adorable. We're going to be a great team."—_

It really seemed like they had no idea at all what they were doing with each other; and was that so ridiculous or just sad? The silver-tinted wisps of _what-are-we_ winded around them, but they merely shrugged it off unknowingly. They each had reasons to be the ways they were, and somehow that made the whole situation even worse.

For the first bit of their trip, Tazuna had freaked out about the legendary Toad Sannin joining them on their mission—he clearly would not be able to afford a ninja of such level, which was understandable considering the current economic status of Nami no Kuni.

"I'm here to watch after the brat."

**[There is a look]**

And Naruto felt their stares rove across his back and caress the side of his face. However, he said not a word. Perhaps because his tongue had caught on the sandpaper-flesh of his mouth, but perhaps because the words that rested in his heart refused to leap from his throat.

'_Why do you need him?'_ Their unsatisfied eyes wanted to know, but he would say nothing again.

So in silence they continued, traversing over smaller bridges and across fields that were far too wide and open. The sun beat down heavily on them, but it was nothing that would easily get the three Genin down.

Sakura was the first to break the quiet with, "Um...Tazuna-san?"

"What?" The old man asked, clearly grumpy from the heat.

"You're from Nami no Kuni, right?"

"What about it?"

**[She turns her head]**

Looking up at the grey-haired pervert they called their teacher, Sakura asked, "Kakashi-sensei, do they have ninja in that country too?" Naruto—still travelling at Jiraiya's side—raised a brow, surprised that Sakura didn't already know the answer to that. He himself only had a basic understanding of the different countries and their cultures, but he figured that the Haruno of all people...

"No...not Nami no Kuni," Kakashi answered promptly, without judging her for her lack of knowledge on the subject, "But...in most other countries...the cultures and customs may be different, but Hidden Villages exist, and so do ninja."

Naruto tuned out as Kakashi began to explain the finer details of the shinobi villages. These were things he'd already heard and read about before, so there was no real use in boring himself any further.

Jiraiya contributed facts every now and then, but his knowledge was primarily seated on the economy and military statuses of most foreign villages. He was an expert shy after all. One could only hope he had that data locked up and memorized.

Then something caught his attention.

"But don't worry;" Kakashi reassured the suddenly panicky pinkette, "There won't be any ninja combat in a C-rank mission."

"Then, we won't come in contact with foreign ninja?"

"Of course not!" Kakashi released a laugh.

**[A tense jaw]**

With his ever-glowing and catching eyes, Naruto saw it in a heart-flash. He saw the tightening of Tazuna's eyes; the whitening of his cheeks; and most important, he saw the downcast expression of his eyes.

There...there was something...something hidden beneath the mass of curtains on the surface.

_(Maybe once upon a time I saw nothing...)_

_(But now—)_

In any case, he didn't have much time to think on it. He'd leave that responsibility to one of the four other perfectly qualified ninja that surrounded him. Sasuke and Sakura were undoubtedly intelligent enough to pick up on the slight signs of _something hidden_ (unless, of course, Sakura decided to be her obtuse and oblivious self again).

No...what interested him even more than the clearly shining guilt in Tazuna's dark, black eyes was the pretty puddle he'd just stepped in.

**[He glances down]**

It was splishy and splashy, but _too_ much. His feet felt soaked and yet somehow they were not. So, therefore by careful deduction and analysis of this childish habit that would never leave, he concluded that pretty things were always flawed internally. It was a code.

—so if this is _perfect...—_

_Then it's not._

He stopped walking immediately and so did the rest of them. Only two other members of his group were aware of the same thing he was, and they each smiled fleetingly at the realization of his awareness.

_(It could be said that their approval means something but I'll say nothing.)_

"I hope they don't think we're this stupid," Naruto said in a tone that showed his blatant irritation.

However that arrogance may have been his biggest mistake.

**[Eyes widen]**

He felt it as it started, the slick and sharp chains snaking up his leg, sure of their direction. And not only did _his_ eyes widen, but the eyes of both his new mentors and teammates. In the heart-stopping slow movements, as the chains criss-crossed up his thighs and over his chest, five sets of horrified eyes imprinted themselves into his brain.

Two dark figures manifested into existence on either side of him, mechanical arms now attached to the chains that coiled around his body. The spikes cut across his skin, leaving bloody trails that were barely mentionable but the tip of any iceberg.

"_Naruto—"_

**[Sasuke shouts]**

His tiny hand twitched, and the chains ripped through.

**·**

**·**

**·**

His remains dropped to the mucky ground, and Jiraiya felt his body tense to extremes it never had before. Then the sensations in the air hit him, calming him down significantly. Dark eyes narrowed at the caped shinobi who _dared_ to hurt his godson.

_Dared to kill him._

They were nothing. They were ants that thought they could carry the world. With string-arms and wet eyes, they were the insects who thought the rest of the world worthless.

However, _he_ was something far grander—something that could crush ants or _eat_ them.

The Uchiha behind him nearly lost his cool—bleary eyes and tight-set lips. And even if Jiraiya was somewhat used to the raven losing his temper often (he was a lot more volatile than he'd been informed of prior to everything), _this_ was something more.

He was proven right when the bloody hue took over his eyes and his pupils split up into a comma on both sides.

—_one comma in his Sharingan, hmm?—_

The two rogue ninja could've easily been dealt with by Kakashi alone, but something that gleamed like madness in Sasuke's eyes kept him back. Instead, he held back with Sakura, being sure to protect Tazuna who shook like a leaf behind them.

Jiraiya easily dealt with the first one—simply materializing in front of the unfortunate one and gripping him tightly by the throat. His eyes were filled with a deadly, cold air, which wasn't something he was well known for.

The unlucky nin's eyes widened in recognition.

**[The hand squeezes and twists]**

—And it wasn't anything he wasn't already used to—

But...it was Sasuke's attack that drew the eyes. The blows were vicious and repetitive—meant to injure, not kill. There was something fluid within his movements...but...unhinged. His fists lashed out over and over; and while he did not speak, he did not need to.

Even Sakura noticed.

—'_There's something about Naruto very dear to Sasuke'—_

It was clear from his nearly bruised knuckles and adrenaline-packed punches that he'd taken something more than offense. In ways...it was...

Jiraiya could not see anything good emerging from this attachment—not from the cruel gleam in Sasuke's eyes.

"_Sasuke,"_ Kakashi said calmly, calling the Uchiha by his name for the first time ever. It automatically drew the furious boy out of his rage.

**[Panted breaths]**

Silence reigned for a few moments, and it barely took the pink-haired Genin ten seconds to realize that both rogue nin were dead. One from a broken neck...and the other...

Blood covered the ground.

Deciding to set the Uchiha's soul at rest, Jiraiya called out, "Hey, brat! You can come out now!" For a split second, Sasuke's bloody gaze swirled and swirled at the powerful Sannin—and a foreboding ember licked at the very base of his spine.

_(Those eyes will no doubt one day see so much more.)_

Grinning sheepishly, the Uzumaki boy emerged from the forest line, a single hand scratching at the back of his head. Immediately—even though Naruto had caught it and it'd stopped him dead—, the bloody gaze was replaced with starless eyes.

The blue eyes that reflected everything were locked with the eyes as dark as a night never seen before.

_(He still reminds me of him.)_

—once, the setting sun was hated—

—but maybe not it was the starless sky—

Naruto broke gazes with him, unable to keep staring. Those _eyes_—so akin and different—were painful to observe for they arose memories that were treasured by him so dearly. He scampered quickly over to his godfather's side, smiling with taut lips.

"They thought I was stupid and tried to kill me," He murmured, "I really hate idiots."

"But could you have handled them afterwards?" The Toad Sage asked dubiously, crossing his arms.

"...One for sure, but I don't know about both. Maybe."

**[A disapproving glare]**

"Don't get arrogant, brat. Or I'll beat that trait out of you."

The maelstrom boy made of star-shine and darkness scowled. He was very nearly a bona fide Hyūga, not including the all-seeing eyes and customary brown hair. Itachi may have been his caretaker for many years and the one he loved most of all, but the Hyūga clan was his family.

Arrogance on his part could usually be backed up. Just like Neji-nii. Just like Hiashi. Just like Hanabi-chan. It was rare to see a Hyūga with modesty like Hinata or Isao-sensei—even Rin would eventually surely grow out of hers.

But while his anger may have ruled his actions and decisions at one point, he did not tend to overestimate his own abilities.

—hopefully—

"Shut up...ero-sennin," Naruto grumbled, coming up with the new moniker on the spot.

Erstwhile, he would have probably responded in some sort of happy-go-lucky way, but that was many seasons ago, when hummingbirds still understood the fine line between end points and breaking points. Somehow though...those things were evanescent.

Those fugacious days had melted into one another, and now he stared out through glassy-eyes that saw too much of the world but never what he needed to see.

**[He turns]**

Somehow, the white-haired Sannin must've heard those tell-tale thoughts, for he said nothing even as his large hand came up to reflexively squeeze Naruto's thin shoulder.

And still, blatantly and shamelessly, the youngest Uchiha kept intense eyes on the Uzumaki heir. He was silent—silent as one could possibly be, despite having just beleaguered a rogue missing-nin to death. Everyone noticed and no one remarked, simply uncertain of what to make of it.

The cavity within his child-chest might've contained a crystal heart, but the gossamer stuck from end to end, and poisonous spiders crawled across them, leaving murmured words.

_(I thought he had no heart.)_

—Maybe he doesn't—

—But perchance there's something else...—

His starless eyes gleamed and shoving his hands into his pockets only hid the twitching fingers.

_(Can you see an imbroglio ahead? Because I can.)_

**·**

**·**

**·**

After cleaning up the bodies and treating the minor injuries on Sasuke's hands (of course Naruto had already been healed by the Kyūbi minutes earlier), they continued on their journey, interrogating Tazuna along the way.

"Of course...this obviously means you lied to us," Kakashi said casually, not in the least bit reluctant about broaching the topic. Half of the group winced as one, remarking on the Jōnin's incredible lack of tact. Sasuke just continued to observe the Uzumaki.

"About that..." Tazuna mumbled, clearly unsure of where to start, looking anywhere but into the one eye of the Hatake. The silence hung between them all and a thin stiffness crawled up Sakura's spine, but none of the adults (apart from Tazuna) seemed affected by it.

"Truthfully, we have the right to turn around this second and go back to the village for your falsities," Kakashi nonchalantly said, "In fact, if Jiraiya-sama weren't with us, I'd insist on it. Three newly ranked Genin aren't nearly experienced enough for a mission usually handled by Chūnin."

"...Ah," The bridge-builder sighed, "Are you going to?"

—will we so easily give up hope?—

**[Glares are delivered]**

Kakashi chuckled. "I don't think so. My cute team isn't so quick to cower away." Three shaking heads answered him. None of them were so cowardly.

"However..." Jiraiya chose the moment to butt in. "You better tell us everything you kept secret. Keeping your bodyguards in the dark is a stupid idea."

_(Even if we were the best...)_

—knowledge is our true power—

"...It turns out that a super dangerous man is after my life," Tazuna finally admitted, keeping pace beside the Hatake as they continued marching on.

"Super dangerous man?" Sasuke looked sceptical. Surely such an irksome old man wouldn't have anyone important after his tail. Although maybe he'd gone slightly too far in pissing someone off...

The old civilian let out a long exhale even as all eyes were fixated on him. "You've probably at least heard his name before. The wealthy shipping magnate...a man called Gatou."

It was obvious that the old bridge-builder had expected his words to have some sort of effect on the two powerful men and their charges accompanying him, and he was sorely disappointed when nothing happened. Kakashi's left eye barely twitched while Jiraiya only smirked marginally, reaching over to ruffle Naruto's hair when the boy shot him a confused look.

"Cut it out, pedophile," He grunted before frowning fractionally, "Who's Gatou by the way?"

"One of the world's few extremely wealthy people," Jiraiya responded deftly as the other two students listened in, equally curious, "He runs a large shipping company, but also sells drugs and other illegal items on the side. He's not above using ninja and gang members to take over businesses and countries..." He scowled. "Hey brat! Take notes—this is important stuff!"

_Is it really?_

**[Maelstrom eyes are dismissive]**

Control of such a small island like Nami no Kuni seemed like a wasted effort in Naruto's mind, but what could he say for the cruel motivations of megalomaniacs?

—it must've been easier than starting with somewhere like Suna—

Tazuna continued his story with, "It was about a year ago when he set his eyes on Nami no Kuni. Through money and violence, he quickly took control of the country's shipping industry." All of this seemed to pain him in more ways than Naruto expected. "Gatou now had a monopoly on all business traffic in the country. The only thing he has to fear now is the completion of the bridge."

Thoughts were thought, and Sakura spat out the truth that was on all their minds. However, Jiraiya's smile slipped off into something far darker—and the Uzumaki boy could tell without asking that something...else was perturbing him.

_(But what could trouble the man who is never troubled?)_

He did not ask but instead placed a solitary hand on his godfather's arm, telling him without words that they would speak in the future. Perhaps he was too young to be carelessly doing such things, but somehow Jiraiya took his puddle-blue eyes seriously.

_(Don't you trust me?)_

—_Ah. Yes. I do.—_

Maybe Kakashi-sensei had noticed the shared look, but he was not one to announce such things so easily, if at all. Instead, he kept his sole eyes fixed on Tazuna, scrutinizing him.

"So why did you lie to our Hokage?" It was a redundant question, seeing as none of them were so unobservant. But it was to somewhat humiliate the old man, and perhaps even Kakashi—the man who liked to pinch Naruto's cheeks and call the only Uchiha on his team _'adorable'_—had a touch of sadism.

**[Black eyes glare]**

"...Nami no Kuni is super poor. Even the feudal lord has no money," He grudgingly admitted, "Of course we don't have much money either. Not enough for an expensive B-rank mission."

—_so you thought we wouldn't find out with rogue nin after your head?—_

The Uzumaki didn't know if he wanted to slap the man or himself.

"Well..." Tazuna went on, not particularly mindful to their ranging expressions of dumbfound, "If you quit the mission now...I will definitely be killed...but—"

Sasuke cut him off before he could say another word. "We're not giving up on the mission. Don't underestimate us."

And somehow, his starless eyes spoke more than his words ever could; and even Naruto found himself captivated by the intensity.

_(After all...it's hard to not be entrance by potentially-bloody gazes...)_

_(And I'm not the only one who used to hate the setting sun.)_

"...Yeah...what Sasuke said..." The maelstrom boy murmured, finally taking his eyes off the Uchiha. Sakura mumbled her agreement as well, noticeably frustrated by the lack of attention her crush was giving her.

And...the amount of attention he was giving someone else.

_(I know we said feelings wouldn't mix...)_

—but the fates had other things in mind—

**·**

**·**

**·**

_(So we lived on opposite ends, but what did that matter?)_

It was getting more and more difficult to pinpoint these feelings that used to slither under skin and manifest into wicked dreams. I called upon them in lost arks, but they simply sailed on past.

How was it that those long treasured feelings felt so light these days? I held my head high, but the pit that held my heart was threatening to open up.

The core lightning was that we were too far apart, and I never quite realized this.

I think my heart missed your cold fingertips even if they never touched or reached across the mountains.

It timely thumped and told me, _'It'll be fine; the world will turn and so will you.'_

But as the world spun, I lost my balance and fell off its axis.

And my cold fingertips never clung onto yours.

—_the tragedy of it astounded me too—_

So I'd settle for starless nights that could remind me of you, even if only for brief flashes of instances. Or maybe eyes that spoke only in anger as opposed to your melancholy, but it did not matter.

But we were so far from the city and the stars were so bright...

_(Maybe it really was just a pipe dream of mine after all.)_

**·**

**·**

**·**

Miles away from the little boy who loathed the stars despite being made of its shine, there was a man who looked at the sky and saw nothing at all. His feet touched the ground barely momentarily before pushing off again—the flight appeared to lack gravitation but that was just a trick of the eye.

At his side was a man much bigger than he—with fine, purebred Uchiha genes—would ever be, lugging a monstrous sword by his hip. But even with the added weight, he easily kept pace with the swifter Uchiha, which should've said more of his prowess than anything.

Very much aware of their surroundings and undeniable need to be silent—like ghosts along the murky terrain—, the two missing-nin bounded without even so much as a sound from their sandal-clad feet. The wildlife did not disturb them and they did not disturb it.

"Itachi-san."

His partner's voice cut through the dead silence, but Itachi did not mind it too much. His mind was other places—locked outside and inside of a reality he'd once had many years before. Recognizing that it would be best to maintain politeness, the Uchiha turned his head ever-so slightly.

"You seem a little tense today," Kisame remarked, not exactly seeming concerned or worries, merely curious.

"Hn." It was a dismissive answer at best, but the Hoshigake was used to such responses. He was not so easily put off by Itachi these days.

—_if this is how you are, it's not so bad...—_

They may not have been _friends_ (for such a word was overly used at best and falsified at the worst of times), but they were comrades, and Kisame would not let his stubborn partner potentially fall ill and risk them losing ground.

_(Are you sure you're estimating the right person?)_

But he should've known that, as stubborn as Uchiha Itachi was, he was not one to jeopardize missions or, more importantly, his own health. Overlooking such things would cause chaos that he did not need.

—and these things are not enough to define an existence...—

_(What is my existence?)_

In actuality, he knew where he'd left his existence, but it was too soon and too far away to get back. And such things were not worth mentioning to volatile men like Hoshigake Kisame—the mere _idea_ of it was...downright sickening.

"Are you sure you don't need to rest or—"

"Your concern is unwarranted," Itachi interrupted smoothly—so smoothly that it didn't seem like an interruption at all, but more the exact flow of the conversation. It was so lovely—with a gentle voice that held no malice even if it could—that Kisame was left without the slightest feeling of bitterness.

Maybe it was just something Itachi could flawlessly pull off.

_(So shall we end this trivial chat?)_

They did and their feet made not a sound against the slightly slippery ground. The moon was high in the sky, but the light had not yet dimmed from the sky, even as it felt it ought to.

—_what is my existence?—_

**[His eyes narrow fractionally]**

Perhaps it was worthless to think of those kinds of things, but his mind did not allow those thoughts to rest.

_(Maybe it's the quale of restless thought again, but...)_

However it was put, the meaning of his existence rested in a boy with eyes like his, and, a boy who's eyes saw like his. The rest of the world was insignificant at best and only served to _spiral, spiral, spiral._

The world was spinning on its axis much too slowly.

**·**

**·**

**·**

The sun wasn't yet setting, but it was nearing to that time as their rowboat cut across the still river. All three Genin avoided each other's gazes, staring at opposite ends of the boat—although every now and then Naruto could _swear_ he felt eyes burn holes into the back of his head.

As the rower had advised them not to speak, each of them remained diligently silent, even as Naruto's leg began to tremble just slightly. He wasn't sure if it came from the strain from not talking or the pressure from Sasuke's eyes.

—_how do I dislike this attention as opposed...—_

He wanted to tear holes in the universe and eat the pieces.

However, he had all and none of the courage to tell Sasuke to leave him alone. Because this staring was different than glaring, different from sneers of derision, and all-too different from smug smirks of victory. In ways he refused to identify, this kind of staring was much worse.

_(What would become of this?)_

**[He grimaces]**

He didn't want to know.

When the boat stopped abruptly at a rickety dock, all three Genin and Tazuna lurched forward somewhat, only Jiraiya and Kakashi keeping their cool. Which was to be expected, of course.

They each stepped out orderly as the rower hurried them along, obviously concerned for his own safety—and even if it was slightly rude, he'd done them a huge favour so they did not have any qualms with being treated such ways.

"This is it for me," The nameless man said in his lowest voice, "Goodbye and good luck."

With more gratitude in his smile than Naruto had ever seen before, Tazuna nodded his head. "Yeah. Thank you so much." And, giving up calmly rowing through the tranquil water, he started up the engine and took off, never once looking back.

Naruto wondered if things were truly so chaotic. But perhaps he could relate—to times when he snuck through alleyways, and took to sleeping in alcoves and on rooftops.

—"_How has the orphanage been treating you, Naruto-chan?"—_

_(Do you really want to know?)_

—"_...It's been...fine, jiji!"—_

_(Or maybe you don't need to.)_

**[He lies through his teeth]**

—do you regret the things you told?—

—do you regret playing it up; covering up bruises and peeling skin?—

He shook his head free of the restless thoughts and rubbed his cold fingertips against his jumpsuit before trailing after the Toad Sannin. The air was slightly chilly, but nothing unbearable.

After all, the heat of Sasuke's stare would keep him warm.

**[Stomach churning]**

Oh god, that was not a good thought for his fragile mind. And if Sasuke continued to provoke him...he didn't know what...—flickers of blue Chakra just barely tickled the sides of his fingers. Maybe that maddening temper of his hadn't quite yet dissipated.

Jiraiya glanced down. "Agitated?"

Naruto grit his teeth. "Frustrated."

"The Uchiha-brat?" came the murmured question. Naruto nodded stiffly once instead of verbally communicating. He was far too infuriated to do anything of the sort.

—was it peculiar how in tune they were after only a few days?—

He might've thought more on this notion, but suddenly all his senses prickled and a chill ran up his spine. It was foreboding and he didn't like it in the slightest. He so rarely got those feelings that they came with an unwelcome shock—and his reflexes snapped out before he could calm himself.

Sakura yelped and jumped back as Naruto's hand lashed out, flinging the shuriken with more force than he ever had around them before.

**[In his mind, the fox chortles]**

"**You're still too quick on the draw, child."**

He scowled, mentally berating himself even as Sakura verbally berated him. Even though he'd thrown the shuriken into the bushes on a whim, he'd expected something...bigger than a snow rabbit—

_(Snow rabbit?)_

—sometimes seeing underneath something isn't so far at all—

"You almost killed an innocent rabbit!" Sakura shrieked, shaking her fist threateningly, "Be more careful where you throw your shuriken—"

"Shut up, Sakura."

It was Sasuke who'd spoken, the words slipping past his slightly-chapped lips, tinged with vexation. Honestly, it sounded more like his personality and less like the temperamental boy Jiraiya had somehow coaxed him into becoming. The poisonous words slipped through his ribs easily, cooling his raging heart.

"**Heart, child? What heart, child?"**

_(Shut up, shut up, shut up, SHUT UP—)_

And they all somehow knew—even the sometimes oblivious Sakura (whose kunoichi skills might not have been the best right now, but there was a talent spark within her)—, but the commanded silence did nothing to quell the mounting tension within them. Naruto took heavy, deep breaths, arguing with the beast within him.

The others noticed. How could they not?

The spellbound stillness was broken by the bridge-builder. "Say, what's wrong with the kid any—"

"DUCK!"

Jiraiya's wide palm smashed onto the top of Naruto's head before pushing down forcefully. He didn't even have enough time to yelp, his jaw crashing into the ground as did Sasuke's. For a split second, there was an ever-thin shadow that passed over head—it shaded Naruto's eyes in such a way that he could only blink.

As it passed over his head, just barely grazing the white tufts of Jiraiya's wild hair, its shape twinkled in the glinting sunlight.

—_slow, slow, slow—_

Then it swung faster than he'd even seen it come.

**[The maelstrom boy gulps]**

Quite possibly, he'd never seen a sword bigger than the one that was now deeply imbedded into the trunk of a nearby tree. The edge of the blade glittered in the light, and standing right on top of it was a man Naruto had never seen before. Not in posters or books or anything of the sort.

"**And those are the most dangerous kinds of people, child."**

The voice was barely a susurrus sound.

The man was covered in bandages that wrapped around his face and arms, but it suited him—coiling around like a second skin and nothing as out of place. The bandages snaked up his throat, but they did not choke like they very well could.

—there was something else in the air—

"Well...hello there..." were the first words to come from the stranger as Jiraiya pulled Naruto and Sasuke to their feet, "I'm sorry, but I can't let you pass from this point."

He lifted his head and two eyes the same colour as his blade pierced into Naruto's. The contractions pulled and pulled, until it all evaporated.

**[His eyes harden]**

"So give me the bridge-builder and maybe I'll let you live."

**·**

**·**

**·**

Maybe the core lightning spoke more words than it needed to, but that was fine.

Those things were older from the years they'd waited and waited.

_(Hold your head and please don't cry.)_

The months followed months, and the dead ends followed dead ends.

—"_Hello! It's nice to meet you! My name is Uzumaki Naruto!"—_

They spoke too little and too much, but their words were shoved in memories that were sadly dimming with the years.

—"_...I'm Uchiha Itachi."—_

But the core lightning was still there, tucked in with the flotsam and the jetsam, which was enough for it all. Because they tried so hard.

**[Bloody gazes snap open]**

_Tried so hard._

\.../

_**A/N:**_** Well, I hope you enjoyed that because it will be the last update for a few weeks at best... I have school now and all my writing time is wishy-washy. Plus, I have a new Love Is chapter to write, something for the Akatsuki Chronicles, a No.6 AU to work on, and a KonanHina fic I'm going to start in the near future that won't be long but will be dark and filled with mind-fuckery. Yep.**

**-Atom-**


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